Directorates and units

 

 

Unit A1: Helpdesk

Role

The Helpdesk Unit coordinates the Agency's assistance to industry and national helpdesks and helps to spread the Agency's expertise to international audiences and through training events.

Tasks

The Helpdesk:

  • Provides authoritative advice to industry on the REACH and CLP Regulations and on relevant IT tools (e.g. REACH-IT, IUCLID 5, CHESAR) by replying to incoming questions
  • Manages the Secretariat of the HelpNet
  • Promotes the appropriate capacity-building of national helpdesks for customer support by facilitating regular interaction and the exchange of best practice between national helpdesks as well as ECHA
  • Provides training to national helpdesks on ECHA processes and REACH/CLP IT tools
  • Contributes to the capacity building of stakeholders (industry and MSCAs) by providing training events on REACH and CLP
  • Provides support to the International Affairs Officer in:
    • Preparing the annual ECHA work plan for international activities, coordinates its execution in close collaboration with the other units of ECHA and reports on its implementation
    • Preparing, managing and following up projects related to international activities
    • Providing support and guidance to ECHA staff members who participate in international cooperation events and activities
    • Monitoring potentially REACH-relevant activities at international level (e.g. WTO) and informing ECHA management on upcoming issues
  • Establishes and maintains an internal database of ECHA's contacts with third countries.
Unit A2: Guidance and Forum Secretariat
Role

The Guidance and Forum Secretariat Unit coordinates the development of ECHA guidance and manages the Secretariat of the Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement to facilitate harmonised enforcement activities by national authorities throughout the EU/EEA.

Tasks

The Guidance and Forum Secretariat Unit:

  • Coordinates the development of new guidance and updates existing ECHA guidance documents on REACH, CLP and other EU legislation
  • Facilitates and promotes accessibility to guidance documents, in particular for SMEs, by providing all relevant guidance in 22 official EU languages, and by issuing 'guidance in a nutshell', practical guides, guidance fact sheets and the Navigator tool
  • Harvests feedback from users of guidance documents for guidance development/updates and regularly improves the mechanisms applied for this purpose
  • Develops new means for increasing awareness of guidance, spreading knowledge and expertise to industry and other targets of ECHA's guidance, for example through joint projects or dedicated outreach material
  • Ensures the involvement of the best available expertise and experience in guidance-related work by further development and appropriate management of the Expert Database
  • Plans, prepares, organises and follows up the work of the Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement
  • Manages the Secretariat for the Forum, in particular organising its meetings and written procedures and proposing revisions of its rules of procedures
  • Provides support and orientation to the Forum and its members in their tasks, as allotted under Article 77 (4) of REACH
  • Contributes to the continuous development of enforcement strategies, minimum criteria for enforcement, and tools (including IT-tools)/methodologies relevant to the Forum
  • Helps elaborate mechanisms that improve the interlinks between ECHA, Member State authorities and inspectors to ensure appropriate coordination in terms of enforcement
  • Enhances the visibility of enforcement of chemical legislation and the activities of the Forum, to approach harmonisation of enforcement
  • Communicates the work of the Forum to the public (e.g. via the ECHA website, newsletters, brochures, posters etc).

 

Unit A3: Communications
Role

The Communications Unit enhances through excellent communication the Agency's reputation among stakeholders and the public, and through effective internal communication motivates the Agency's staff within a common corporate culture.

Tasks

The Communications Unit:

  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's digital communication policy - notably managing its external and internal websites
  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's external communication policy and manages the communications vehicles (newsletters, printed documents, promotional material, slide presentations, events etc.)
  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's internal communication policy and manages the communications vehicles
  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's stakeholder engagement policy
  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's media relations policy - providing a proactive and reactive media service
  • Prepares, implements and monitors ECHA's practice on translation
  • Supports the coordination between Member States of communication about the risks of chemical substances and provides the secretariat for the Risk Communication Network (RCN) and its members
  • Manages the Agency's Corporate Identity
  • Provides training for ECHA staff on effective communication in all of these areas.