On the occasion of the Steering Board in National Armaments Directors formation EDA launched a web-portal which provides information on national policies and procedures concerning exemptions from REACH obligations in the interest of Defence.
REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals. This EU Regulation imposes obligations on producers or importers but also users of chemicals, which includes the defence sector. Taking into account the specificities of this sector, the REACH Regulation leaves it to the Member States to grant national security-related defence exemptions. The REACH Portal allows Member States, European citizens and industry to have access to information on national policies and and procedures for granting defence exemptions to the Regulation.
"The main purpose of the EDA's REACH initiative complementing the Commission's efforts in the area of REACH is to provide for basic transparency. This is a major step forward in our efforts to align and harmonise national policies in the area of defence at European level" said the Agency's Industry & Market Director, Mr.Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño. He also state d that "the constant interaction and co-operation with the European Commission was crucial for the success of this initiative".
www.eda.europa.eu/REACH
Background:
REACH1, the European Chemical Regulation, imposes certain obligations on all producers or importers but also so called down-stream users of chemicals. However, taking into account the specificities of the defence sector, the REACH Regulation leaves it to the Member States to grant national security-related defence exemptions. As divergent and uncoordinated national policies in this field would have a severe impact on the establishment of a truly European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) and also hamper the creation of a Level Playing Field for the European Defence Equipment Market, participating Member States tasked the Agency to look for a more harmonised European approach.
On 19 March 2010 the EDA Steering Board decided to aim for common standards for national exemptions granted in the interest of Defence. The Steering Board tasked the Agency to establish a web portal for participating Member States to post their national procedures for granting exemptions including the applied safety and traceability standards. On the basis of these standards, Member States will, over time and on a voluntary basis, endeavour to foresee suitable measures and procedures to acknowledge – as nationally deemed appropriate – other pMS' exemption decisions.
