ECHA's Compliance Checks on REACH Registration Dossiers and Future Priorities

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has successfully met its legal target by conducting compliance checks on over 20% of REACH registration dossiers, totaling around 15,000 evaluations since 2009. The checks aim to ensure that companies provide accurate information on chemical hazards to enhance safety in the European Union.

Specifically, for substances registered at quantities of 100 tonnes or more per year, ECHA has checked compliance for approximately 30% of them. In 2023 alone, ECHA conducted 301 compliance checks, addressing 1,750 registrations and 274 substances. As a result, 251 decisions were sent to companies, requesting additional data to clarify the long-term effects of chemicals on human health or the environment.

ECHA now plans to focus on following up these requests and will collaborate with Member States for the enforcement of non-compliant dossiers. Compliance of registration dossiers will remain a priority, with a review of the Joint Evaluation Action Plan to improve REACH registration compliance.

Additionally, ECHA adopted six substance evaluation decisions in 2023, seeking further information on the safety of substances of potential concern. The Joint Evaluation Action Plan initiated in 2019 has been completed, and discussions are ongoing with the European Commission, Member States, and industry to determine the next steps for improving chemical safety data compliance.

ECHA's Integrated Regulatory Strategy workshop in March is expected to provide further input into this effort.