Document ppwQKwLG31GGQOg1BrQNmBMBw

Ref. Ares(2018)4943673 - 26/09/2018 Meeting with Chemours - GROW facilities - 20 September 2018 GROW: , (D1), (D2) Chemours: (Chemours), , (Alber&Geiger) Chemours representatives presented the activities of the company, specialised in fluorochemical compounds. They focused on the work carried out to replace PFOA in the production of fluoropolymers. Chemours developed a process to phase-out PFOA that relies on a substance known by the trade name "GenX". The company is concerned about the scrutiny of this substance that is ongoing under REACH, as they consider that the concerns raised are not sufficiently justified and that they may jeopardise the investment made so far by Chemours and the manufacturing of fluoropolymers in the EU. GenX was registered in 2009 and has undergone substance evaluation by DE/NL authorities (evaluation decision is pending). NL is also preparing an RMOA of the substance with a view to possible inclusion in the candidate list. COM recalled that SVHC identification is based on the intrinsic properties of a substance; however, COM explained that the RMOA process is a voluntary instrument to examine possible regulatory routes. The RMOA is broadly used by MS and the importance of considering socio-economic information at that stage has been acknowledged in the REACH review. COM encouraged Chemours to share relevant socio-economic information with NL in the context of their RMOA work. COM also referred to the need to ensure that substitution activities aim to replace hazardous substances by safer ones, avoiding the so-called "regrettable substitution", where hazardous substances are replaced by other substances with a similar hazard profile.