Chemicals: classification, labelling, packaging, adaptation to the REACH Regulation (amend. Directive 67/548/EEC)

PURPOSE : to amend Directive 67/548/EC on packaging and labelling in order to adapt it to the provisions of the proposals on REACH (Please see COD/2003/0256). PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT : Directive 67/548/EEC sets out rules not only how to classify, package and label dangerous substances, but also how to notify new substances to the Competent Authorities in the relevant Member State before placing them on the market. The Commission has presented proposals on a single regulatory system for all substances (entitled REACH for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) and giving industry the responsibility for generating data on the inherent properties of substances and for assessing the risks related to their use. The new REACH Regulation will introduce the same registration requirements for new chemicals as for the existing substances which means that the rules for notification of new chemicals in Directive 67/548/EEC have to be repealed. However, the REACH proposal does not at present include rules for classification, labelling and packaging of dangerous substances, and the relevant parts of Directive 67/548/EEC will continue to apply. Directive 67/548/EEC contains several Annexes related to information requirements and testing methods to be used. The content of these annexes will be taken over by the Annexes to the REACH legislation and thus they have to be repealed from the Directive. Moreover, a substantial number of references to testing methods and information requirements must be amended as a consequence of the introduction of the REACH legislation. In addition, the proposal seeks to repeal Commission Directive 93/67/EEC.�