Evaluation of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) as part of 2017 REACH review

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) created on 1.6.2007 and located in Helsinki, Finland, plays a central role in the implementation of REACH, CLP, the Biocidal Products Regulation and the Prior Informed Consent Regulation, as well as in the management of their main respective processes.

According to Article 117(4) of the REACH Regulation, the Commission has to report every 5 years on the functioning of REACH, starting from 1.6.2012. Therefore, there is a legal obligation for the Commission to report again in 2017. The next Commission report will build on Member State and ECHA reports (due in the course of 2015 and 2016), as well as on a number of specific studies launched by the Commission in order to assess particular elements related to the implementation of REACH.

ECHA review shall contribute to the Commission's review/reporting of the REACH Regulation by 1.6.2017. The first review of ECHA took place in 2012 (final report). This evaluation will cover the period since the last review taking account of the new tasks entrusted to ECHA since then.

The European Commission has published a call for tenders to evaluate the performance of ECHA following the European Commission's guidelines for evaluations. In doing so, the selected contractor will have to assess ECHA's efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, coherence and EU added value in building up its capacities and in managing its operations as well as its acceptability. On the basis of the conclusions, the contractor will propose suggestions/recommendations for improvement.

Related links:

• Call for tenders announced by DG GROWTH
• Call for tenders' details
• Contract notice
• Invitation to tender
• Technical Specifications
• First review of ECHA (2012) - Final report