Document NGZdp8Yry4LOrQgyjLLGKgmQy

Business Europe Environment Working Group Kristin's opening The aim is to phase out the most harmful chemicals and to replace them by safe and sustainable chemicals. Planned Commission proposals to revise CLP (second half 2022) and REACH (end 2022). Essential uses - concept has been introduced in the SCC as a new way to manage chemicals and speed up the decision making process. An on-going study delivered in July 2022. All options are still open at the moment. A workshop with stakeholders - February 2022. Industry is encouraged to participate in that ; also public consultations related to the revision of REACH Regulation. Open Public Consultation - launch in December 2021 with a deadline of March 2022. For REACH - link the work on the essential use concept with the planned reform of the authorisation and restrictions system. Impact assessment finished before the summer break ; proposal for a revised REACH regulation by end 2022. Many unknowns and misunderstandings among the broad public and stakeholders on the potential implementation of the concept in REACH and other chemical legislation. Preparing discussion documents - still subject to internal discussion. Comments from the audience BDI Why do we need an additional regulatory approach apart from authorisation and restriction? Now we are going towards a broad hazard base approach. We may lose important substances, which we need for innovation purposes. response - we will stay within the existing system of authorisations and restrictions. We may merge the two. Indeed, essential uses won't be easy to implement. EUROFER Platform on sustainable finance - we need to discuss these updates before final decision is taken Kristin - we should not pre-empt the definition of "essential uses" in the context of sustainable finance BASF Endocrine disrupters - will there be classification criteria  Can the essential use concept be brought to a level where a substance is already classified as a substance of concern Endocrine disruptors, EPVMs, EPVBs - indeed, there will be classification criteria Essential use - scope is still under discussion - can also be applied to specific restrictions. Some chemicals may only have limited essential uses and production may cease if other uses are no more possible. What if chemicals for such essential uses disappear from the market? problem is understood, but it is not straightforward to use market size as an argument to defend the continued use of such chemicals in non-essential uses. Business Europe What problems do you see in the application? Can this lead to longer assessments and lengthier policy decisions, for instance? Kristin: stakeholders can help us both in the theoretical discussions, and in the evidence on how essential use can be applied in practice. What would it mean in certain cases? Question on B2B vs B2C use of chemicals. - we are reflecting on future rules on B2B, too. There is a strong link with the occupational safety and health legislation