First PPORD exemptions to expire - How to request an extension

ECHA/NA/13/07

The first five-year exemptions from the duty to register substances used for Product and Process Oriented Research and Development (PPORD) will expire in June 2013. Impacted companies need to act now.

Helsinki, 15 February 2013 – One of the major objectives of REACH is to enhance and promote innovation. The aim is to ensure a positive impact of REACH on research for new substances by providing an incentive for research-oriented companies. As such, REACH allows an exemption from registration for substances manufactured or imported at or above one tonne per year, for the purpose of Product and Process Oriented Research and Development (PPORD). This exemption is limited to five years unless companies can demonstrate that a prolongation of their PPORD programme is required.

In practice, to benefit from an extension to the initial five-year exemption period, companies that submitted a PPORD Notification in 2008 and that wish for an extension, must submit a request to ECHA at least four months before the expiry date of the original exemption. This timeline enables ECHA to process the request on time, and ensures no interruption of the PPORD exemption.

As of 25 February 2013, the PPORD notifiers will be able to submit, via REACH-IT, their requests for extension to ECHA by updating their PPORD IUCLID dossier. The companies must justify the requests for extension by providing a documented research and development programme to ECHA.

The first exemptions will expire in June 2013. ECHA is contacting the notifiers that submitted a PPORD notification in the middle of 2008 to remind them that any requests for extension should be submitted by 1 March 2013.

ECHA has published updated instructions for submitting such requests for extension on its website.