Opening address

Accredited Stakeholder Workshop

Geert Dancet

Executive Director

European Chemicals Agency

9 October 2015

2

Welcome to our fifth workshop

• Platform for strategic discussions

• Working together for common goals

• Discussion topics picked both from your suggestions and ECHA’s strategic priorities

• REACH 2018 and SMEs

• SVHCs and authorisation process

• Dossier quality

• Biocides implementation

• Higher efficiency and effectiveness

• Progress on scientific challenges

ECHA - challenges ahead

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• 2020 goal – toxic free environment

• Progress in substitution and innovation

• Benefits of REACH

• Promote alternatives to animal testing

“Big picture” – common goals

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• Work towards common goals

• Your feedback helps us improve and gain efficiency

• Provide input to our planning

Why are we here today?

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Recommendations from 2014 workshop

Status update

Topics last year

• Communicating REACH 2018

• Involving stakeholders in

biocides work

• Nanomaterials

• Transparency

=> Many activities reflected in ECHA’s work programme 2015

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Communicating REACH 2018

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• REACH 2018 communicators’ network established – with Member States, Enterprise Europe network, stakeholders

• REACH 2018 website launched in 23 languages

• Joint products: leaflet, press release, infographic, video

• Simplified support for SMEs: review of related questions and answers, helpdesk replies and related web pages

• Funding for SMEs: new SME guide and getting started pages listing funding possibilities for SMEs

Involving stakeholders in biocides work

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• Use of online tools: web-streaming of Biocides Stakeholders' Day, remote questions via web form, webinars, working group meetings via Webex (25% in 2015)

• Cooperation with competent authority meetings discussed in March at workshop on active substance approval

• ASOs regularly invited to the BPC and working groups.

• Up-to-date information through ECHA’s news channels and stakeholder update

Nanomaterials

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• ECHA involved in international discussions relating to risk assessment of nanomaterials – e.g. existing test methods and OECD guidance. ECHA chairs an OECD working group for this work.

New information on nanomaterials published

• Needs for guidance updates regarding nanomaterials assessed. Guidance on safety data sheets is part of this evaluation.

• A joint working paper on read-across between different nanoforms is underway. It will later feed into guidance development.

• Nanomaterials web page has been simplified, new sources of information

• GAARN (Group Assessing Already Registered Nanomaterials) with Member States and industry has published best practice documents on assessing nanomaterials under REACH.

Transparency

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• ECHA’s approach to transparency published, with input from previous workshops

• Web page on transparency echa.europa.eu>about us>the way we work: our approach to transparency, procedures, decisions

• Simplifying templates of decisions

• Improving website: REACH 2018 and getting started pages for step-by-step support information

• Dissemination project: launch of new approach coming soon

We look forward to hearing your views

Themes of the day

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World café format: you can contribute to each topic

• Efficiency – what does ECHA need to do to improve on the value rated lowest by stakeholders?

• Alternatives to animal testing – what more needs to be done to avoid unnecessary animal testing?

• Reaching the REACH goals. Food for thought for ECHA’s 5-year report on REACH and CLP implementation

Desired outcome

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• Identify common ground among accredited stakeholders

• Concrete recommendations to ECHA

Closing remarks

Accredited Stakeholder Workshop

9 October 2015

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Participation so far

24

15

25

30

25

9

6

10 12

14

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Industry Civil society

• Currently 90 accredited stakeholder organisations

ECHA values stakeholder involvement

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Stakeholders involved in ECHA’s work

• Committee meetings

• Forum session

• HelpNet

• Guidance updates

• IT testing

• Public consultations

• Workshops

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Joint initiative on substitution

• Joint project with accredited stakeholders: EEB, CEPI, ETUC, CEFIC, CHEMSEC

• Output: new web pages on substitution, webinars, video for consumers

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Forums for information sharing

• NGO discussion platform

• Communicators’ network

• Stakeholder presentations

to ECHA staff

What happens next?

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• 2016 work program to be implemented

• First single programming document to plan our work for 2017-2019

• Second five-year report on REACH implementation to be finalised

• First steps towards the second 5-year strategic plan

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Personal reflections from today

• I value your input – ECHA has the advantage of having active stakeholders involved in our work

• Your contribution helps us to improve

• Please give us feedback about the workshop – form will be sent to your e-mail soon

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Thank you for your input and active participation!

geert.dancet@echa.europa.eu