Print
Press office
We produce press releases and background memos, and distribute general-purpose information. We also organise events of interest for the media.
The Press office of the European Chemicals Agency is available to answer questions from journalists, to provide replies to written questions from the general public, and to set up interviews with the Executive Director and other senior officials of the Agency.
To subscribe to the ECHA news alerts and newsletter, send your e-mail address to: info@echa.europa.eu
See also: News & Press archive
20/11/2009
REACH-IT and Helpdesk availability at year end
ECHA will use the Christmas break for a major upgrading of the REACH-IT submission system, which will be closed from the lunchtime of 14 December 2009 to 3 January 2010 inclusive. The Helpdesk and ECHA’s offices will be closed from 24 December to 3 January inclusive. By lunchtime of 4 January 2010, REACH-IT will re-open and be available for submissions 24 hours a day during the working week – from 8.00 Monday until 19.00 Friday.
19/11/2009
ECHA calls for information to avoid unnecessary animal testing
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is calling for information on the health effects of a specific chemical substance by 24 December 2009. This is a public consultation foreseen by the REACH Regulation for testing proposals involving animals. The aim of the call is to give anyone the opportunity to submit relevant data with a view to make sure that animal testing is only conducted as a last resort when the available information is not sufficient to assess the potentially harmful effects of this chemical on human health or the environment.
13/11/2009
Webinar available online
Companies preparing registrations can now watch a recorded presentation of a webinar on "Preparing and submitting a registration dossier" on the ECHA website. The webinar for Lead Registrants took place on 4 November. It was the first in a series
of interactive guidance events for Lead Registrants, scheduled between the end of 2009 and the first half of 2010. The recordings of future webinars will also be published there roughly one week after each event. A compiled question and answer document of the webinar will be published in the Lead Registrant discussion forum and later on the ECHA website.
05/11/2009
ECHA opens web pages on restrictions
The European Chemicals Agency has today published on its website a new subsection concerning restrictions. The new web pages describe existing restrictions as well as the procedure for new restrictions.
05/11/2009
ECHA's Board of Appeal publishes a summary of the first appeals
On 16 September the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) received its first appeal, opposing an ECHA decision to reject a registration submitted by the appellant. After certain necessary formalities including procedures linked to the confidentiality requests made by the appellant have been duly processed, a summary of the appeal is now made available in the Appeal section of ECHA's website.
04/11/2009
Public consultation on harmonised classification and labelling of two chemical substances
The European Chemicals Agency has today published on its website a public consultation on the proposal to harmonise the classification and labelling of two chemical substances. Comments are welcome on the proposal within the next 45 days. All comments will be taken into account in the subsequent decision-making process.
03/11/2009
ECHA publishes concise Guidance on Chemical Safety Assessment
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published Guidance on Chemical Safety Assessment in a Nutshell. The document is now available in the Guidance section of the ECHA website.
27/10/2009
National REACH and CLP helpdesks form a common network – Help Net
A new, joint network of REACH and CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) helpdesks has been formed and is called Help Net. The objectives of the network are: to provide consistent, harmonised answers and the best possible advice to industry seeking to fulfil their obligations under the REACH and CLP Regulations.
27/10/2009
ECHA welcomes all stakeholders on 7 December 2009
On 7 December 2009, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) organises its third Stakeholders' Day at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre, Finland. Up to 500 participants can attend. The Day can also be followed on the Internet via web-streaming live and after the event. Participation is free of charge.
16/10/2009
REACH - Substance Identity workshop on 1 December 2009
On the 1st December 2009 the European Chemicals Agency will hold a Substance
Identity Workshop in Helsinki. The workshop will clarify key substance identity concepts in the context of REACH processes
such as inquiry and registration. This event is for people in companies who are responsible for dossier preparation who have
questions on substance identity. Since the number of places available is limited to 100, companies are invited to send one delegate only. Participation will then be confirmed on a first come first served basis.
14/10/2009
Late pre-registration ends in November 2009 for some chemicals and companies
The final deadline for the pre-registration of certain chemical substances and high volume manufacturers and importers is on 30 November 2009. This deadline applies to companies within the first 6 months of manufacturing, importing or using* a phase-in substance that needs to be registered by 30 November 2010.
14/10/2009
ECHA publishes the dates for the Lead Registrant Webinars
A series of interactive multimedia events have now been scheduled to provide Lead Registrants with key information on the registration of substances. Each webinar will last up to two hours and is available for up to 1000 participants. ECHA is hosting three webinars in 2009 with more events planned for 2010.
12/10/2009
Less than two months left to deadline for users of chemicals to
inform suppliers
There are less than two months left for the Downstream Users of chemical
substances to inform their suppliers of the use they make of the substance.
The deadline, 30 November 2009, applies only if the substance needs to be
registered before 1 December 2010.
06/10/2009
Registering Notified Substances
ECHA has updated the Questions and Answers for the registrants of previously notified substances and the Data Submission Manual 5: How to complete a technical dossier for registrations and PPORD notifications. The new sections provide additional information on when to update a registration that is based on a previous notification, how to claim a registration number for a substance previously notified under Directive 67/548/EEC, how to update confidentiality claims and on minimum data required in IUCLID 5.
24/09/2009
Guidance in 22 languages now available on REACH
ECHA has published guidance on information requirements, chemical safety assessment, substances in articles, registration, and downstream user obligations in a further 21 EU languages. These documents provide essential information to manufacturers and importers of chemicals as well as users of chemicals and producers of articles (end-user goods) on how to comply with REACH legislation. The English language versions of the six documents were published earlier.
15/09/2009
Over 500 REACH Lead Registrants share good practice
Over 500 companies - Lead Registrants and Candidate Lead Registrants - joined together in Brussels (and via webstream) to share best practice. The event, jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency, brought together speakers from ten companies and associations to share their experience on taking the lead in developing joint registration dossiers for their chemical substances.
15/09/2009
Clarification will avoid unnecessary animal tests
Unnecessary animal tests will be avoided and costs to industry reduced as a result of
a new clarification of the information requirements for manufacturers and importers of
chemical substances under the REACH regulation.
02/09/2009
Public consultation on harmonised classification and labelling of three chemical substances
The European Chemicals Agency has today published on its website a public consultation on the proposal to harmonise the classification and labelling of three chemical substances. Comments are welcome on the proposal within the next 45 days. All comments will be taken into account in the subsequent decision-making process.
01/09/2009
New public consultation on 15 potential Substances of Very High Concern
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published on its website proposals to identify chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). Interested parties are welcome to comment on these 15 substances within the next 45 days. The comments will be taken into account when deciding whether the substances will be added to the Candidate List from which substances are selected for authorisation.
News & Press archive
We archive on a monthly base our news and press releases: Archive