REACH

The first place to start is with Europa Commission, the regulatory body of REACH.

Thanks that's very helpful.

MM

"REACH" stands for Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals. The EU's REACH regulations entered into force about a year ago but their impact will be felt in the business community around the world in the second half of 2008 with the arrival of the June1 – November 30, 2008 "simplified pre-registration" period. The REACH regulations are detailed and complex and cover many products that have long been used safely in the market and might not intuitively seem to be "chemicals." Issues exist between what is an article, what is a release, and what is "threshold quantity" (my words, not theirs). The pre-registration period affords an opportunity for American and other manufacturers to get registered under the new system and to minimize the potential for disruption to your business with Europe.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has been making a major effort, both in Washington and in Brussels to assist U.S. companies, especially small and medium-sized exporters, to understand and come into compliance with REACH.

Here are some links:

European Chemical Agency REACH Website

http://echa.europa.eu/reach_en.html

European Chemical Agency FAQs on REACH

http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/faqs_on_reach.pdf

European Chemical Agency FAQs on REACH Registration and Pre-Registration

http://www.reach-pre-registration.eu/?gclid=CIX2ienAl5ICFQ4lHgodZHDw6g

List of REACH Service Providers (provided by U.S. Department of Commerce)

http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/reach_bsp.html

U.S. Commerce Department FAQs on REACH

http://www.buyusa.gov/austria/en/reachfaqs.html#_section8

The Europa links are mindnumbing in their detail. good luck.

milo