Adopted opinions and previous consultations on applications for authorisation

This page provides further information on the applications for authorisation or review reports, which have undergone consultation. The applications for authorisation are in the opinion development phase until the final opinions of the Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-economic Analysis have been adopted and sent to the European Commission. Its decision-making process can be followed through the comitology register, where further information is published about the REACH Committee's past and upcoming meetings.

On 1 February 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the EU. The transition period provided by the withdrawal agreement ended on 31 December 2020. As of 1 January 2021, an application for an authorisation submitted by a person established in the UK (except Northern Ireland) is no longer valid in the EU, unless that application has been transferred to a legal entity established in the EU or Northern Ireland before the end of the transition period. Therefore, authorisation applications and decisions in so far as these concern persons established in the UK (except Northern Ireland) are no longer considered valid.

Substance Details

Name

Chromium trioxide

EC Number

215-607-8

CAS Number

1333-82-0

Entry Nr in Annex XIV

16

Use name

Surface treatment for the manufacture of grain-oriented electrical steel used in magnetic circuits of electric devices, in particular magnetic cores of high-performance transformers

Broad information on use applied for (conditions of use and function)

The process takes place at two sites, one in Germany and one in France. The aqueous chromium trioxide-based coating solution is applied by rubber‑coated rollers and subsequently baked onto the grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) surface using high temperature. During the temperature treatment, chromium(VI) is completely reduced to chromium(III) and the final product is entirely free from the hexavalent chromium compound.

The chromium trioxide-based insulation coating guarantees unique performance characteristics such as high energy efficiency, reduced noise emissions and enables a reduction of device sizes. These attributes are indispensable to comply with the requirements of Directive 2009/125/EC (“Eco-design Directive”) as of 21 October 2009 for energy‑related products which are further specified for small, medium and large power transformers in the Commission’s Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 as of 21 May 2014. The application of GOES as magnetic core material requires the insulation coating to have a unique combination of electrical, thermal and chemical properties. The use of chromium trioxide allows to meet with both, industry standards as well as official requirements in terms of longevity (> 30 years), sustainability, environmental (e.g. transformer noise) and foremost technical performance (e.g. energy efficiency).

The chromium trioxide-based surface treatment results in an insulation coating which provides a range of desired properties to the finished GOES product. These unique and essential surface properties are:

electrical surface resistivity;
resistance to humidity and transformer fluids;
resistance to tensile load (high tensile stress);
resistance to high temperatures;
low coefficient of thermal expansion;
coating adhesion;
machinability: slitting, cutting, stamping; welding, gluing; stacking;
optical surface properties.

All above-mentioned key functionalities and related minimum requirements are highly interconnected with each other and have to be fulfilled by an alternative coating to ensure the technical performance of the GOES products in the scope of the AfA.

Annual tonnage used: 100-400 t/a
Review period requested: 11 years

Use applied for number in application for authorisation

1

Broad information on use applied for (Use descriptor system)

Sector of end use (SU): 0: Manufacture of grain-oriented electrical steel used in magnetic circuits of electric devices
Environmental release category (ERC): 5
Process category (PROC): 1, 8a, 8b, 10, 28
Product category (PC): 14
Article category related to subsequent service life (AC): N/A
Technical Function: Other: to produce an insulation coating for grain-oriented electrical steel.

Summary table of RMMs and OCs (non confidential)

Chemical Safety Report (original and updated, if available) (non confidential)

Update

Analysis of Alternatives (non confidential report)

Substitution Plan (non confidential summary)

Socio-Economic Analysis (non confidential report)

Joint Analysis of Alternatives and Socio-Economic Analysis (non confidential report)

Explanatory note

Additional information

ID

0135-01

Applicant(s)

Thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel GmbH;
Thyssenkrupp Electrical
Steel UGO S.A.S.

Application type

Initial

Status

Commission decided

Other consultations on the same/ similar use

Comments submitted to date

No comments received

Response to comments by applicant

Responses to RAC and SEAC requests by Applicant(s) (non confidential)

Compiled RAC and SEAC opinions

Minority positions

Adopted commission decision (OJ summary)

Link

Authorisation decision

C(2021) 8269