The REACH Regulation
Regulation (EU) No 1907/2006 concerns the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemical substances. It also contains requirements addressed to the users of chemicals, unlike previous legislation.
Consolidated text
(last consolidated on 1st of May 2022)
Regulation on test methods (EC) No 440/2008 (last consolidated 2019-10-16) 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.