The European Parliament’s Environment Committee recently held its opening debate on the second reading of the REACH regulation on the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals. Following the meeting, it was reported that the Europe Council's position on the REACH project has been deemed balanced and it is foreseen that a deal can be struck by the end of the year. However, the report seeks to restore some key amendments from the first reading and does not rule out the option of adding others during future negotiations.

The Council's common position on the REACH regulation, adopted on June 27, accepts 180 of the 430 amendments approved by Parliament at the first reading, including those concerning the registration and evaluation of chemical substances.
 
With regards to authorisations, the Council's position was still said to be far from what the European Parliament decided in November 2005 and is thus likely to be one of the controversial issues at second reading. "Parliament adopted amendments which make the Commission's text more incisive and the Council has opted for an intermediate position (…). There is a margin for reaching agreement with the Council in December if the political will is there. To take this to conciliation would be idiotic," said the meeting’s rapporteur, Guido Sacconi.

Mr Sacconi said he planned to focus on the key points approved by a large majority of MEPs but which Council has not accepted. These are the duty of care by producers and importers; the European Parliament's role in the future European Chemicals Agency; aid to SMEs; a European quality mark for products that meet the REACH criteria; research into alternatives to animal experiments; and compulsory evaluation of substances likely to be cancerous, mutagenic or genotoxic, even if they have been produced in quantities of less than 10 tonnes.

Finland's Environment Minister, Jan-Erik Enestam, who attended the committee's meeting to present the programme for his country's presidency of the EU, told MEPs that Helsinki wants a decision at the second reading and is "ready to look at feasible solutions to strike a deal with Parliament" before the end of its six-month term of office.
 
The Environment Committee is currently scheduled to vote on Mr Sacconi's recommendations for the second reading on October 10, with the plenary vote to follow in mid-November.