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Draft update of substance evaluation planning for 2014-2016

Draft update of substance evaluation planning for 2014-2016

ECHA/NA/13/38

ECHA has prepared a proposal to update the Community rolling action plan (CoRAP) for 2014-2016. The draft update contains 125 substances that are proposed for review by 22 Member States under the substance evaluation process of REACH. It contains 56 newly selected substances and 69 substances that come from the update published on 20 March 2013.

Helsinki, 4 November 2013 - The REACH Regulation requests ECHA to submit the annual update of CoRAP for the Member States to consider. The plan addresses substances that are suspected of posing risks to human health or the environment. The substance evaluation process allows the clarification of such risks by requests for additional information to the registrants.

The draft update for 2014-2016 has been prepared in close cooperation with the Member States, taking into account the agreed risk-based criteria for the selection of substances. The Member States have also proposed substances based on national priorities. 22 Member States will take part in the substance evaluation work in the coming three years.

In many cases, the initial concerns are related to potential persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties, suspected endocrine disruption or carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic properties in combination with wide dispersive or consumer use(s). In general, the uses of these substances cover various areas and do not focus on any particular industrial, professional or consumer uses.

ECHA has submitted the draft CoRAP update for 2014-2016 to the Member State competent authorities and the Member State Committee. The Committee starts its discussions this week and will prepare an opinion on the draft plan in February 2014. ECHA will then adopt the final CoRAP update for 2014-2016 on the basis of the Committee's opinion. The CoRAP process does not include a public consultation. However, ECHA informs the stakeholders of the progress made by publishing this draft list of substances and encourages registrants of the substances to start coordinating their actions and to have early interactions with the evaluating Member States.

ECHA's aim is to adopt and publish the final CoRAP update for 2014-2016 in March 2014. The final CoRAP update for 2014-2016 will indicate the Member State responsible for the evaluation of each substance and the initial reasons of concern. From the publication of the final CoRAP update for 2014-2016, the respective Member States have one year to evaluate the 56 substances specified for 2014 and, where regarded as necessary, to prepare a draft decision for requesting further information to clarify the suspected risks. Such draft decisions will be reviewed by the other Member States and ECHA and when necessary agreed by the Member State Committee before ECHA issues a final decision. Registrants of substances listed on the final CoRAP will be given an opportunity to comment before any final decision to request further information is taken.