First wave of REACH test proposals examined

ERJ staff report (BC)

Helsinki - The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has examined all proposals to test substances submitted by the first REACH Registration deadline and has issued draft or final decisions to companies by the legal deadline of 1 December 2012. This is an important step in the REACH process, said the agency - making sure that data gaps are filled but at the same time avoiding unnecessary testing on animals.

The purpose of the testing proposal examination is to ensure that the tests proposed by the registrants are necessary and adequate for meeting the REACH information requirements.

ECHA checks recognised sources of information and organises consultation of third parties on all testing proposals involving vertebrate animals so that unnecessary animal testing can be avoided. A full picture of the progress in evaluation during 2012 will be presented in the annual report, which is due to be published by the end of February 2013.