The REACH Regulation
The REACH Regulation contains rules on the registration, evaluation, authorization and restrictions of chemical substances. REACH also contains requirements for users of chemicals and rules about information you must give your customer. In order to place chemical products and articles on the market, these rules must be followed.
Consolidated text
(last consolidated on 17th of December 2022)
Regulation on test methods (EC) No 440/2008 (last consolidated 2019-10-16). Commission regulation (EU) 2023/464 amending, for the purpose of its adaptation to technical progress, the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 440/2008 laying down test methods.
External link. All versions and amendments are available in EUR-Lex External link.
Regulation on fees and charges (EC) No 340/2008 (last consolidated 2021-06-21) All versions and amendments are available in EUR-Lex External link.
Implementing regulation on joint submission of data and data-sharing (EU) No 2016/9 All versions and amendments are available in EUR-Lex External link.
Reach in brief
The REACH Regulation includes rules on the registration of substances, bans or other restrictions on substances, authorisation requirements for particularly dangerous substances and rules on informing customers. If you manufacture, import or sell articles and chemical products in the EU/EEA, you need to comply with the rules that apply to your business. The Regulation also contains rules that you, as a user of chemical products, must follow.
In principle, all substances are covered by REACH. This means that substances in, for example, industrial products, cleaning products and paints, as well as in articles such as clothing, furniture and household appliances, are covered. Therefore, many companies in the EU are affected by the Regulation.
To comply with the Regulation, your company must identify and manage the risks associated with the substances you manufacture or import and sell in the EU. You must demonstrate that the substance can be used safely throughout its life cycle and provide information on appropriate risk management measures. Anyone using the substance in their business must follow this information.
If the substances cannot be used safely, the EU can restrict their use in various ways through bans or other restrictions. Authorisation requirements may also be introduced for particularly hazardous substances with a view to replacing them with less hazardous alternatives.
The Regulation entered into force on 1 June 2007.
Links to information on REACH on the ECHA web pages
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) assists companies in complying with the legislation, promotes the safe use of chemicals, provides information on chemicals, and addresses chemicals that are of concern.
The links below take you to ECHA.