Liikanen sets out EC plans
22 Aug 2000
The European Commission's forthcoming chemical strategy White Paper will focus on risk analysis and safety issues, according to Erkki Liikanen, commissioner for enterprise and information safety. Speaking at the CEFIC general meeting, Liikanen said that the paper should be adopted by the autumn, and presented to the Council of Ministers before the end of the year.
`The Council identifies three problems with chemicals,' Liikanen said. `Firstly, the slow progress in evaluating the risks of existing substances; secondly, the risks proposed by particular substance groups; and thirdly, the safety in use of dangerous products.'
The White Paper will therefore set out which substances need to be evaluated, and which will require fast-track assessment. The roles of industry and regulator will also be set out: `The basic premise is that industry does most of the information gathering and assessment, while the regulator monitors the work of industry and develops management measures,' Liikanen explained.
Liikanen believes that the strategy will make life easier for the chemical industry. `It should spell the end of the "black lists" of chemicals in some member states, and `it promises to build confidence in chemicals on the part of consumers and authorities,' he comments.
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