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Chemicals: classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. Downstream legislation - Regulation

2007/0213(COD)

PURPOSE: to amend Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 in order to adapt it to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 1336/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 in order to adapt it to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. 

CONTENT: this Regulation is closely linked to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (see COD/2007/0121). The latter builds on existing chemicals legislation and establishes a new system on classification, labelling and packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures by implementing in the EU the international criteria agreed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) for the classification and labelling of hazardous substances and mixtures, called the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

Classification of substances and preparations under Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC triggers other obligations in EU legislation, referred to as “downstream legislation”.

The Commission services assessed the potential effects of the implementation of the GHS criteria on downstream legislation. Their analysis concluded that effects were either minimal or could be minimised by appropriate changes to particular downstream acts. This Regulation aims to make such changes to such a downstream act, through amendments which take account of the effects of Regulation 1272/2008/EC on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. It is also closely linked to Directive 2008/112/EC amending six existing Directives to adapt them to the classification and labelling criteria of the new Regulation (see COD/2007/0212).

The objective is of this Regulation is to reflect the terms of the new Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures and of new terminology which refers to classification of substances or mixtures. The term “mixture” is introduced to replace the term “preparation”, in line with the proposal on classification and labelling of substances and mixtures.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20/01/2009.

APPLICATION: the operative provisions will apply from 01/06/2015.