REACH

Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals

On 29 October 2003, the European Commission presented its proposals for a complete and radical review of the European Union's (EU) chemical substances policy. The resulting REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 set up a comprehensive system for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of CHemicals (REACH) that went into force in 2007.  This Regulation replaced the EU's original "Dangerous Substances" Directive 76/769/EEC (Restrictions on the Marketing and Use of Certain Dangerous Substances and Preparations) that had been in effect since 1976.