REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals, while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry. It also promotes alternative methods for the hazard assessment of substances in order to reduce the number of tests on animals.

The Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation ((EC) No 1272/2008) is based on the United Nations' Globally Harmonised System (GHS) and its purpose is to ensure a high level of protection of health and the environment, as well as the free movement of substances, mixtures and articles.

The Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012) concerns the placing on the market and use of biocidal products, which are used to protect humans, animals, materials or articles against harmful organisms like pests or bacteria, by the action of the active substances contained in the biocidal product. This regulation aims to improve the functioning of the biocidal products market in the EU, while ensuring a high level of protection for humans and the environment.

The Prior Informed Consent Regulation governs the trade of certain hazardous chemicals that are banned or severely restricted in the EU. It places obligations on companies that wish to export these chemicals to non-EU countries or import them into the EU.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms and pose a risk to our health and the environment. They can be transported by air, water or migratory species across international borders, reaching regions where they have never been produced or used. International risk management is necessary as no region can manage the risks posed by these substances alone.

Directive 2008/68/EC establishes common rules for the safe and secure transport of dangerous goods within and between EU countries by road, rail or inland waterway. (It also covers aspects such as loading and unloading, the transfer to and from another mode of transport, as well as the stops in the course of the transport process.) It extends the application of international rules to national transport of dangerous goods. The international transport of dangerous goods is regulated by the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN) and the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID). The ADR, RID and ADN have drawn up a list of dangerous goods, indicating whether their transport is prohibited or not and defining the requirements for their transport if it is authorized.

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 (PPPR) lays down rules for authorising the sale, use and control of plant protection products (PPPs) in the EU. A plant protection product usually contains more than one component, including active substances, safeners, synergists, and co-formulants. The list of approved active substances is regulated pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 540/2011; co-formulants which are not accepted for inclusion in PPPs are found in Annex III to the PPPR.

Regulation EC 396/2005 establishes, in accordance with the general principles laid down in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, in particular the need to ensure a high level of consumer protection and harmonised Community provisions relating to maximum levels of pesticide residues in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin. This Regulation shall apply to products of plant and animal origin or parts thereof covered by Annex I to be used as fresh, processed and/or composite food or feed in or on which pesticide residues may be present. This Regulation shall not apply to the products covered by Annex I where it may be established by appropriate evidence that they are intended for: (a) the manufacture of products other than food or feed; or (b) sowing or planting; or (c) activities authorised by national law for the testing of active substances.

Regulation 1185/2009/EC concerning statistics on pesticides sets up rules and procedures for the collection and dissemination of statistics on the sale and use of pesticides. The statistics are used with other relevant data by the EU countries to draw up national action plans to reduce risks of pesticide use on human health and the environment, as well as EU policies on sustainable development and indicators of risks to health and the environment due to pesticide use. Data is collected every five years and must be presented in accordance with the classification in Annex III and the technical format established in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1264/2014. The Commission regularly adapts the list of active substances to be covered and their classification in categories of products and chemical classes, as set out on the Regulation's Annex III.

The Directive establishes air quality objectives, including ambitious, cost-effective targets for improving human health and environmental quality up to 2020. It also specifies ways of assessing these and of taking any corrective action if the standards are not met. It provides for the public to be kept informed. This directive merges most of existing air quality legislation into a single directive.

The objective of this Directive is to establish a target value for the concentration of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and benzo(a)pyrene in ambient air so as to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects of those heavy metals on human health and the environment as a whole. It determines common methods and criteria for the assessment of concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air. Where concentrations exceed certain assessment thresholds, monitoring of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and benzo(a)pyrene should be mandatory.

The National Emission Ceilings Directive establishes emission reduction commitments for all EU member states as regards important air pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as these pollutants are a major contributor to poor air quality and have significant negative impacts on the environment and human health. This legislation applies to member states, not individual firms; however, it indicates which pollutants are of particular concern to the European Union.

Directive 2010/75/EU is a recast of seven earlier pieces of legislation on industrial emissions; it lays down rules to prevent and control pollution into the air, water and land and to avoid generating waste from large industrial installations.

Directive 94/63/EC aims to reduce emissions from volatile organic compounds due to evaporation of petrol in the fuel storage and distribution chain.

This legislation prohibits the placing on the market of most batteries and accumulators with a certain mercury or cadmium content and establishes rules for the collection, recycling, treatment and disposal of batteries and accumulators.

The end-of-life vehicles Directive sets out measures to prevent and limit waste from end-of-life vehicles and their components and ensures that where possible this is reused, recycled or recovered.

Directive 94/62/EC sets out the EU's rules on managing packaging and packaging waste. EU countries must take measures, such as national programmes, incentives through extended producer responsibility schemes and other economic instruments, to prevent the generation of packaging waste and to minimise the environmental impact of packaging.

Directive 2011/65/EU on the restriction on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is recast legislation that updates Directive 2002/95/EC.The recast strengthens existing rules on the use of hazardous substances, such as lead, mercury and cadmium, in EEE to protect human health and the environment, in particular by enabling environmentally sound recovery and waste treatment of EEE.

The Regulation lays down rules for controlling waste shipments in order to improve environmental protection. It also incorporates the provisions of the Basel Convention and the revision of the OECD's 2001 decision on the control of transboundary movements of wastes destined for recovery operations (i.e. where a waste is processed to recover a usable product or converted into a fuel) in EU law.

The Directive aims to protect the environment and human health by encouraging sustainable production and consumption. It does so by: (1) preventing the creation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE); (2) promoting reuse, recycling and other ways of recovering waste from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE); and supporting the efficient use of resources and recovery of valuable secondary raw materials.

This Directive lays down measures to protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall impacts of resource use and improving the efficiency of such use.

The Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on the quality of water intended for human consumption) concerns the quality of water intended for human consumption. Its objective is to protect human health from adverse effects of any contamination of water intended for human consumption by ensuring that it is wholesome and clean.

The Directive establishes a common approach and objectives for the prevention, protection and conservation of the marine environment against damaging human activities.

This Directive concerns the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water and the treatment and discharge of waste water from certain industrial sectors. The objective of the Directive is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of these waste water discharges.

The directive sets environmental quality standards for priority substances and eight other pollutants, including the metals cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel, and their compounds; benzene; polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); and several pesticides. Several of these priority substances are classed as hazardous. EU countries must ensure compliance with the EQSs. They must also take measures to ensure that the concentrations of substances that tend to accumulate in sediment and/or biota do not increase significantly.

The purpose of this Directive is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater. It sets out rules to halt deterioration in the status of European Union (EU) water bodies and achieve 'good status' for Europe's rivers, lakes and groundwater.

The Drinking Water Directive (Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption) concerns the quality of water intended for human consumption. Its objective is to protect human health from adverse effects of any contamination of water intended for human consumption by ensuring that it is wholesome and clean. Directive 98/83/EC has been repealed as of 13 January 2023 by Directive (EU) 2020/2184.

Directive 2004/37/EC sets out the minimum requirements for protecting workers against risks to their health and safety arising, or likely to arise, from exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work. To reduce the risks associated with such exposure to workers' health and safety, it lays down preventive and protective measures, as well as exposure limits.

This Directive is based on Directive 80/1107/EEC,which was repealed and replaced by Directive 98/24/EC. It sets out limit values for certain substances in its Annex. The limit values for 17 of these substances were later on transferred to Directive 2006/15/EC. The current Directive establishes values for a reference period of eight hours for 6 substances.

The list is based on Council Directive 98/24/EC. Member States shall establish national occupational exposure limit values for the chemical agents listed in the Annex, taking into account the Community values. The Directive establishes values for a reference period of eight-hours time weighted average and also for a short term period of 15 minutes for 61 chemical agents.

The list is based on Council Directive 98/24/EC. Member States shall establish national occupational exposure limit values for the chemical agents listed in the Annex, taking into account the Community values but may determine its nature in accordance with national legislation and practice. The Directive establishes values for a reference period of eight-hours time weighted average and also for a short term period of 15 minutes for 33 chemical agents.

The Community indicative occupational exposure limit values are established as implementation of Council Directive 98/24/EC. In the Annex to Commission Directive 2000/39/EC, the reference to phenol is deleted and the new limit values are included in this Directive. The Directive establishes values for a reference period of eight-hours time weighted average and also for a short term period of 15 minutes for 18 chemical agents.

The list is based on Council Directive 98/24/EC. Member States shall transpose this Directive by 21 August 2018 at the latest. Regarding the limit values introduced for nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, Member States have until 21 August 2023 at the latest. The Directive adds limit values for 27 new chemical agents, and amends 6 existing ones established by earlier directives.

This list is based on Council Directive 98/24/EC. Member States shall transpose this Directive by 20 May 2021 at the latest. The Directive adds indicative occupational exposure limit values for 9 chemical agents, and amends an existing one (i.e., cumene) established by an earlier directive (i.e., 2000/39/EC).

The Directive lays down maximum limits for the cadmium and lead transferred by ceramic objects to the foodstuffs with which they enter into contact. To be sold, these ceramics must be accompanied by a written declaration provided by the manufacturer or importer, guaranteeing that they do not exceed the maximum limits for lead and cadmium. The information required is described in Annex II (introduced by Directive 2005/31/EC).

Regulation 450/2009/EC seeks to lay down specific rules for active and intelligent materials and articles, which supplement those set out in Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, the general Regulation on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. It also establishes specific requirements for the marketing of these materials and articles and sets out the procedure for their authorisation at EU level.

This Directive lays down common rules for packaging materials and articles such as bottles and containers, which come, or may come, into contact with food, either directly or indirectly. It seeks to protect human health and consumers' interests as well as ensure that the products used may be sold anywhere in the European Economic Area - the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in which there is free movement of persons, goods, services and capital.

This Regulation sets out specific measures for recycled plastic materials and articles, supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2008 has been repealed with effect from 10 October 2022 by Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616.

The directive applies to regenerated cellulose film - either in the form of a finished product in itself or part of a finished product containing other materials - which is intended to come into contact or placed in contact with food.

The most comprehensive specific EU measure is Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles. It sets out rules on the composition of plastic FCMs, and establishes a Union List of substances that are permitted for use in the manufacture of plastic FCMs. The Regulation also specifies restrictions on the use of these substances and sets out rules to determine the compliance of plastic materials and articles.

This Regulation sets out specific measures for recycled plastic materials and articles, supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food (FCMs).

This directive lays down minimum requirements to protect workers from risks to their health and safety from the effects of chemicals they may encounter in the course of their job. It sets out exposure limit values and preventive measures.

This Directive sets out the basic rights of all women before and after pregnancy in the European Union (EU). The Directive is one of several 'daughter directives' adopted under the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC on the safety and health of workers at work. Namely, it aims to protect the health and safety of women in the workplace when pregnant or after they have recently given birth, and women who are breastfeeding.

Directive 94/33/EC on the protection of young people at work sets minimum requirements in order to guarantee improvements in the health and safety of young workers.

This Directive introduces measures to improve the health and safety of people at work. It sets out obligations for both employers and employees to reduce accidents and occupational disease in the workplace, including exposure to hazardous substances.

Directive 92/58/EEC requires employers to ensure proper signage is posted in areas where hazards cannot be avoided or reduced. The annexes to this directive provide detailed information about the minimum requirements for all safety and health signs, and they have been adapted to reflect the requirements of subsequent related directives and technical progress in the field of health and safety signs at work.

The aim of Directive 90/385/EEC is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and safety, smooth operation of the single market and to achieve the results for which the active implantable medical devices are intended. It does this by harmonising national legislation on active implantable medical devices. This ensures universally high safety standards for patients, giving the public confidence in the system. It enables the products to be used in any European Union (EU) country. Please note that Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices has repealed Directive 90/385/EEC and begun to apply from 26 May 2021. Nevertheless, Article 120 of the Regulation provides for a transitional period allowing medical devices, under specified conditions (e.g., placed on the market prior to 26 May 2021), to continue to comply with the Directive. In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 120, this period ends 26 May 2025.

The Aerosol Dispensers Directive (ADD - Council Directive 75/324/EEC) has two objectives which are fulfilled by technical harmonisation at the European level: Guaranteeing those products within the scope of the Directive will be safe for consumers and other users in respect of hazards related to pressure and where appropriate, flammability and inhalation; and securing the free movement of aerosol dispensers throughout the EU. As such, Member States must allow the marketing on their territory of aerosol dispensers that comply with the Directive.

Directive 2014/28/EU on making available on the market and supervision of explosives for civil uses sets out rules for the placing on the market and supervision of explosives for civil uses in the EU. The directive lays down manufacturers', importers' and distributors' responsibilities with respect to the trade in such commercial explosives.

This Regulation aims to make the single market work better and improve the free movement of construction products in the EU, by laying down uniform rules for the marketing of these products and by providing a common technical language to assess the performance of construction products. In this way the Regulation also enables EU countries to ensure the safety of construction works.

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products is the main regulatory framework for finished cosmetic products when placed on the EU market. It strengthens the safety of cosmetic products and streamlines the framework for all operators in the sector. The regulation simplifies procedures to the extent that the internal market of cosmetic products is now a reality. The regulation replaces Directive 76/768/EC, which was adopted in 1976 and had been substantially revised on numerous occasions.

Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 on detergents ensures that only detergents with surfactants that are fully biodegradable may be placed on the market. In addition, detergent labels must contain ingredient and dosage information. This is to protect the health of consumers, especially against allergies, and to avoid the over-use of detergents.

Established in 1992 and recognised across Europe and worldwide, the EU Ecolabel is a label of environmental excellence that is awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle: from raw material extraction, to production, distribution and disposal.

Regulation 2003/2003/EC consolidates all the European Union rules that apply to fertilisers, and ensure that the technical requirements outlined in the regulation are implemented uniformly. The regulation only applies to mineral fertilisers consisting of one or more plant nutrients. Annex I lists fertilizer types according to their specific characteristics. Fertilisers that meet this type designation may be sold and used throughout the EU. For a new type designation to be listed in Annex I, the manufacturer must submit a request with a national competent authority, which is then forwarded to the European Commission, which consults the other EU countries and decides to accept or reject the application. Regulation 2003/2003/EC has been repealed with effect from 16 July 2022 by Regulation 2019/1009/EU.

Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 lays down rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products. It lays down common rules on safety, quality and labelling requirements for fertilising products. It opens the single market for new fertilising products, such as organic and organo-mineral fertilisers, soil improvers, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, growing media or blends. It also introduces limits for toxic contaminants for the first time. The Regulation does not prevent non-harmonised fertilising products from being made available on the EU market in accordance with national law and the general free-movement rules. Starting 16 July 2022, the Regulation replaces Regulation 2003/2003/EC.

The Directive, also known as the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), requires firms to ensure that items on sale are safe and to take corrective action when it is found not to be the case. It introduces an EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products. This enables national authorities to share information promptly on any measures taken to withdraw such products from sale.

The Directive aims to guarantee the smooth operation of the single market by harmonising different national legislation on the reliability of in vitro diagnostic devices. It provides a high level of protection for the health and safety of patients, users and others and ensures the devices achieve the results for which they are intended. Note that Regulation 2017/746/EU on in vitro diagnostic medical devices was published in the EU Official Journal on 5 May 2017. With few exceptions specified in Articles 112 and 113 of this Regulation, Directive 98/79/EC is repealed, and the rules pursuant to 2017/746/EU apply, from 26 May 2022.

The Regulation updates the rules on placing on the EU market, making available and putting into service in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices for human use and their accessories. It also contains rules on the conduct of performance studies that are carried out in the EU concerning IVD medical devices (or accessories). It aims to improve patient safety by introducing stricter procedures for conformity assessment - to ensure that unsafe or non-compliant devices do not end up on the market - and post-market surveillance.

The aim of Directive 93/42/EEC is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and safety, smooth operation of the single market and to achieve the results for which medical devices are intended. Specifically, it harmonises national legislation on medical devices. This ensures universally high safety standards for patients, giving the public confidence in the system. It enables the products to be used in any European Union country. Please note that Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices has repealed Directive 93/42/EEC and begun to apply from 26 May 2021. Nevertheless, Article 120 of the Regulation provides for a transitional period allowing medical devices, under specified conditions (e.g., placed on the market prior to 26 May 2021), to continue to comply with the Directive. In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 120, this period ends 26 May 2025.

The aim of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 is to provide a secure, consistent regulatory framework for medical devices and to enhance public health across the EU by ensuring that medical devices are safe, perform as intended and afford benefits to patients and healthcare systems. Please note that Regulation (EU) 2017/745 has repealed Directive 90/385/EEC on active implantable medical devices and Directive 93/42/EEC on medical devices. The Regulation began to apply from 26 May 2021. Nevertheless, Article 120(4) of the Regulation provides for a transitional period, allowing devices placed on the market prior to 26 May 2021 to be made available on the market or put into service until 26 May 2025, under certain conditions.

Directive 2014/68/EU lays down essential safety requirements for pressure equipment and assemblies (such as boilers, pressure cookers, fire extinguishers, heat exchangers and steam generators). All stationary pressure equipment must conform to strict specifications if it is to be sold in the EU.

The Directive sets out the safety requirements that toys made available in the EU must meet. These requirements are designed to provide a high level of health and safety, to protect the public and the environment and to guarantee free movement of toys in the EU. It identifies the particular responsibilities of different operators in the supply chain from manufacturer to importer/retailer/distributor.