Disagreement over treatment of intermediates

Disagreements between the European Commission and industry over the treatment of intermediates under REACHⁱ emerged at a recent meeting of the expert advisory group on REACH and classification, labelling and packaging (CARACALⁱ). Concerns were expressed that a joint Commission-ECHAⁱ paper detailing a more restrictive definition of intermediates - chemicals intended to be transformed into other substances - would limit the ability of industry to benefit from the preferential registration conditions that intermediates currently enjoy under REACH. Industry is also unhappy that the publication of the paper comes so close to the first registration deadline. Stakeholders have been invited to submit their reactions to the joint paper.