Cefic News

To coordinate and align with different branches of industry during implementation of the Green Deal’s Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS), Cefic has established a cross-industry platform. More than 40 industry associations are involved. A number of issues and activities have been prioritised for cross-industry discussions. All members of ESVOC, our own solvents’ downstream user coordination group, have been invited to join as broader topics outside solvents are addressed. Questions that are commonly addressed are for instance: What qualifies as an essential or non-essential use? What are the implications of moving away from a risk-based approach? To what degree should chemical mixtures be taken into account? How targeted will the reform of REACH be? How to assess whether chemicals are ‘safe and sustainable by design’? 

ESIG has also joined the platform to be up to date and facilitate any solvent related topics. 

The CSS is a major new initiative which will re-define EU chemicals policy. When it was published in October 2020,  the EU Commission stated that it is seen as “an opportunity to reconcile the societal value of chemicals with human health and planetary boundaries as well as to support the EU industry in producing safe and sustainable chemicals. It is also an opportunity to respond to the legitimate aspirations of EU citizens for a high level of protection from hazardous chemicals and to promote the EU industry as a global frontrunner in the production and use of safe and sustainable chemicals”.  It contains 56 actions, most of them legislative changes, including a ‘targeted revision’ of REACH and of CLP (inclusion of new hazard classes). All actions are planned to be implemented between 2021 – 2024. For many regulatory actions, the policy debate has already started. It is heading towards a stronger and more preventive legislative framework.