International Impacts of REACH

REACH will clearly have considerable impacts beyond the European Union, for example:

Companies exporting chemicals and preparations into Europe will have to follow the new rules, as will (to a lesser extent) those exporting articles into Europe.
REACH will generate new safety information on chemicals and recommendations for their safe use, much of which will be made available on the internet, where it can be used by non-EU governments, companies, unions and individuals.
The confidential data in the REACH system can be used by non-EU governmental regulators, provided that confidentiality is retained. This will give regulators across the world more information on the chemicals used in their countries.
REACH will lead to the identification of new hazards for chemicals in everyday use, which in some cases will lead to legal restrictions or authorisation, controls which may be followed by other countries.
Other jurisdictions are also facing the problem of how to deal with the lack of data on existing chemicals. The REACH approach is likely to catalyze changes in chemicals policies in many other countries.

REACH and the WTO

One focus of external lobbying around REACH has been the World Trade Organization, which attempts to create a level playing field for trade around the world.

A number of Governments, notably the US, and industry groups have claimed that REACH violates the WTO agreements, however the European Commission has defended the proposal in a detailed paper published in October 2004.

More support for REACH’s WTO compliance comes from an analysis produced by FIELD for WWF UK. Other Civil Society NGOs have also backed the EU in the WTO debate, for example the Trans-Atlantic Consumer Dialogue produced a paper on REACH and the WTO, and the US NGO Environmental Defense sent a letter criticizing claims made by the US government.