Every day people across the UK and Europe buy millions of products, taking for granted that these goods are safe, free from illegal levels of hazardous chemicals. Authorities across the EU test products like toys, to check if laws are being broken, and if they are then they notify an EU-wide safety service, RAPEX. For [...]
UK
The UK Conservative Party Conference this week was dominated by the major hurdles of Brexit, chiefly the Irish border, immigration policy and trade. However, chemicals continued to feature in discussions across the conference, from small fringe events on environment and trade up to the main stage address from Environment Minister Michael Gove. The deep divisions [...]
Today, Monday 24th of September, the UK Government published papers on how the UK plans to transfer EU chemicals law REACH into UK law in the event of a no-deal exit from the EU. In line with other policy areas, on REACH the UK Government plans to copy across the EU law and only modify it [...]
UK confirms it would like to remain in EU chemicals law REACH, but will it meet the EU’s conditions?
In a speech on Friday March 2nd the UK Prime Minister Theresa May stated that the UK wished to discuss the possibility of remaining part of the EU chemicals agency ECHA after Brexit. CHEM Trust welcomes this announcement, but it is important to realise that the other EU governments (the EU27) will inevitably set specific conditions [...]
On Thursday 1st February, UK politicians gathered in Westminster Hall to debate the future of UK chemical regulations after Brexit. A strong case was made for the business, health and environmental benefits of staying in the EU’s world-leading chemicals regulation system REACH. The Chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), Mary Creagh [...]
MPs to vote on retaining REACH chemical laws after Brexit, as industry and NGOs step up the pressure
On Wednesday 20th December, UK Members of Parliament will vote on an amendment calling on the UK Government to remain in the EU’s REACH chemicals regulations after Brexit. The amendment (NC61), which has been tabled by the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Mary Creagh MP, comes after both industry and civil society groups made [...]
The European Union has created the most sophisticated system for regulating hazardous chemicals in the world, called REACH. CHEM Trust is very concerned that the UK could lose access to this system on Brexit, and we joined with 18 other organisations, from Trade Unions to the Women’s Institute, to send a joint letter to the Secretary of State [...]
On Friday 29th September, a wide range of stakeholders, including companies, politicians, the UK government and NGOs, gathered to discuss Brexit’s impact on future chemicals regulation in a comprehensive workshop organised by Chemical Watch, in collaboration with CHEM Trust and Tech UK. The overwhelming message of the event was that the UK should aim to [...]
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of British citizens – including 62% of Leave voters – believe that there should be no reduction in regulatory standards that protect people and the environment from potentially harmful chemicals when the UK leaves the EU, according to a new poll conducted on behalf of SumOfUs and CHEM Trust by GQR Research. [...]
On 29th September the chemicals policy journal Chemical Watch are organising a conference in London on “Post-Brexit options for UK chemicals law“. The conference has been organised in conjunction with CHEM Trust and the technology industry trade association Tech UK. The event will bring together a wide range of experts and stakeholders, including speakers from industry, [...]
