Eurobrief June 2011

Earlier this month, CEMBUREAU issued a paper which explains how to use the exemption from registration for recovered substances under REACH. This paper covers which conditions have to be fulfilled and which information is necessary.

On 21 June Environment ministers adopted a progress report on the Proposal for a Directive on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances. This report is the result of the work undertaken by the Council’s Working Party on the Environment (WPE) under the Hungarian Presidency, and highlights that progress has been made on the definitions, the exclusion of Annex I from the scope of the Commission's power to adopt delegated acts to adapt the Annexes to technical progress, the general obligations of an operator, the notification by the operator to the competent authority, major-accident prevention policy, safety reports, emergency plans, Member States obligations in relation to land-use planning and following a major accident, and confidentiality.