ECHA Announces EU-Wide REACH Enforcement Project Will Focus on Imported Products

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on November 16, 2022, that the Enforcement Forum agreed that the next Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) enforcement project will investigate how companies fulfill the registration, authorization, and restriction obligations for products and chemicals they import from outside the European Union (EU). According to ECHA, the project will be done in 2023-2025 and “will require close cooperation between REACH enforcement and national customs authorities in the Member States.” ECHA states that the project “was triggered by high levels of non-compliance in imported goods detected in previous Forum projects, including a recent pilot project” that found that 23 percent of inspected products were non-compliant with EU requirements and that further controls are necessary. ECHA notes that control of imports at the point of entry is the “most effective means” of checking that non-compliant substances, mixtures, and articles do not enter the EU market. The project will also work on further developing and strengthening existing cooperation between REACH inspectors and customs. By strengthening the control of imports, the project will also contribute to the goals of the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS).