1. Chemicals Regulation – Global Challenges Helsinki Chemicals Forum 2010
Lena Perenius
Executive Director

2. Chemical Regulation- Global Challenges
The Global Challenge:
To ensure that, by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health.
2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development
SAICM is the strategy and process to achieve that goal

3. Opportunities and Challenges
To improve global regulatory systems
Many regulatory developments around the world
To increase Regulatory Convergence
facilitating trade and a level playing field
To introduce Smart Regulations
Delivering desired results in the least burdensome way
Allowing industry to innovate and to compete fairly and effectively

4. Trends in Regulatory Developments
Implement Global Harmonised System for classification and labelling,
Modernise and improve existing chemicals legislation
Introduce a regulatory system for chemicals
EU: REACH is Europe's contribution to SAICM
under implementation – gaining experience
review in 2010

5. What’s new in REACH? Burden of proof/responsibility
No difference new/existing substances
Obligation to work together and share data
New obligations on downstream users

6. Is REACH impacting the global regulatory developments?
 Inventory
 Prioritisation
for assessment
for risk management
  From hazard to risk
 Burden of proof/responsibility on industry
 Convergence of rules for new/existing substances
 Obligation to work together and share data in supply chain
 Authorisation/substitution

7. Possible barriers for REACH elements
Burden of proof/responsibility
Societal values and capacity
Convergence new/existing substances
Existing approach (if any)
Data sharing
Confidentiality, workability
Authorisation
Bureaucracy, cost
REACH is comprehensive and ambitious –
Is it the “smartest”?
Complex and costly with workability issues still to be solved

8. Cooperation contributing to regulatory convergence
Making it happen
UN, OECD, Governments, Industry
Global Chemicals Industry:
Responsible Care Global Charter
Product Stewardship objective to “Enhance the management of chemical products worldwide”
Global Product Strategy
Industry’s contribution to SAICM and convergence
Risk characterization and risk management measures for chemicals in commerce until the year 2018

9. ICCA vision Global Product Strategy (GPS)
By 2020, through a combination of voluntary and regulatory initiatives, we will have:
Established a base-set of hazard and exposure information adequate to conduct safety assessments for chemicals in commerce
Provided global capacity to implement best assessment practices and management procedures, especially in developing countries
Shared relevant product information with co-producers, governments and the public
Worked across the value chain so suppliers and customers can effectively evaluate the risks and enhance their performance
Made information on chemicals publicly available (GPS IT-portal via
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10. Global Product Strategy (GPS) – Industry’s global contribution to SAICM
Globally consistent approach that accommodates
national, historical, cultural and regulatory differences 
Voluntary initiatives
Responsible Care
ICCA HPV
Base Set of Information
OECD / SIDS
LRI
etc.
Regulatory initiatives
EU REACH
US TSCA
US ChAMP
Canadian CMP
Japan CSRs
GHS
Cooperation
UNEP
UNIDO
OECD
NGOs
ICCA internal
etc..
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11. Back-up slides

12. Benefits of GPS implementation
Even level playing field of the global conditions of competition (through harmonization of global product safety standards)
Improvement of global chemicals management
Open access to relevant product safety information for co-producers, governments and the public
Joint information base for chemicals supports classification and labeling under GHS
Achieving a balance between regulation and voluntary industry commitments. The goal is a single global standard in Product Safety
Global harmonization of chemicals management systems will eventually help to reduce trade barriers.
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13. Chemical Regulation- Global Challenges
Agenda
Johannesburg declaration – SAICM
Opportunities and Challenges for Regulatory Convergence
Trends in Regulation considering the main elements of REACH
Regulatory cooperation
Governments, OECD, industry
Industry’s contribution to SAICM and convergence: GPS