Agenda
Please note: all timings are listed in CEST; to view start times in your local time zone, please click here.
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Registration and coffee
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Welcome and introduction by the moderator
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Keynote: Tearing down the barriers to competitiveness
- Session 1: Overview of the general direction for chemicals regulation in the EU
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European Commission overview
- Chemicals policy as industrial policy – supporting a dynamic European industry to innovate and go forward
- Structuring the way forward – regulating efficiently in a complex environment
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Developments in the European Chemicals Agency
- An update on ECHA’s expanding mandate
- An outline of ECHA’s future Basic Regulation
- How ECHA will deliver this wider mandate
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Industry perspective: EPMF
- Learnings from chemicals management in Europe for the (precious) metals industry
- Improvements needed for a sustainable and competitive (precious) metals industry in the EU?
- How these improvements can be translated in the REACH revision
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Industry perspective: CEFIC
- Navigating headwinds: the chemical industry today
- Connecting the dots in EU chemicals regulation
- Making REACH simpler in practice: implementation-led improvements
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Q&A
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Refreshment break and networking
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Water resilience at risk – the threat of persistent and mobile substances
- EU chemicals rules must stimulate innovation and facilitate a transition to safe and sustainable substances
- Persistent, mobile and toxic and very persistent and very mobile (PMT/vPvM) substances are currently not effectively addressed and are particularly challenging for water operators
- Avoiding the release of hazardous substances to the environment at source must be the guiding principle
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Ensuring a future-proof EU chemicals policy: EEB proposals for simpler, faster and bolder regulatory framework
- The EU failure to protect people and the environment from harmful chemicals
- Chemical industry: addressing the real challenges and modernizing REACH as the way forward
- NGO proposals for making REACH simpler, faster and bolder
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Q&A and panel discussion on the general direction for chemicals regulation in the EU
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Lunch and networking
- Session 2: Polymers as part of REACH registration?
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How polymers are regulated globally today, highlighting potential issues for polymer registration in Europe
- Core principles of polymer regulations globally; what is everyone else doing?
- Experiences gained so far
- Challenges for regulating polymers in the EU if a REACH model is used for all polymers
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What are the concerns around plastics and why do we need to regulate them?
- 20 years ago, it was a political compromise not to include polymers in REACH
- What scientific reasons are there today for supplementing REACH?
- What could a stepwise integration look like?
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Impacts of a potential REACH registration for producers of specialty polymers
- Multitude and flexibility of specialty polymers
- Polymers in formulations and their risk profile
- Impacts in the supply chain
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Torsten Funk
Advisor on key regulatory files with a focus on REACH and CLP, FEICA – Association of the European Adhesive and Sealant Industry -
Modernizing chemical approvals: A case for Designed Enzymatic Biopolymers (DEB)
- DEB offers a next‑generation sustainable alternative to petrochemical‑based polymers
- Current polymer exemption is essential for competitiveness
- Additional new regulatory and cost burdens could slow the adoption of innovative solutions
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Q&A and panel discussion: Should polymers be registered under REACH and, if so, how?
- What’s the real driver behind needing polymer regulation? How else are we addressing it?
- Is the REACH model the right way, or should we find better tools?
- How to define the scope of polymer registration under REACH to achieve health and environmental protection?
- What should the information requirements be?
- How could polymer registration support CE and recycling?
- Session 3: Regulatory planning and risk management option analysis (RMOA)
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Refreshment break and networking
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Member state perspective on RMOA
- RMOA experiences and lessons learned
- Future of RMOA in the context of a changing regulatory landscape
- How to make optimal use of the tool
Richard Luit
Head of Bureau REACH, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands -
How industry can use an RMOA framework
- How Eurometaux are using their RMOA framework
- Challenges and benefits
- How could it work in the regulation?
- How can we link it to the one substance, one assessment (OSOA) ambition and (risk management-relevant) data collection?
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NGO perspective on RMOA
- Policy makers need to pick regulatory instruments that best serve the REACH objectives
- RMOA must not lead to delay or dilute protections
- RMOA must not interfere with member states’ rights to initiative
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Q&A and panel discussion on regulatory planning and grouping
- Where has RMOA worked well/not well; where in the regulatory process could it sit and what would be the benefits and drawbacks?
- What are the alternatives?
- How can we link planning to the OSOA ambition and (risk management-relevant) data collection?
Additional panelist:
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Networking drinks reception
Join us for drinks, appetizers and relaxed networking with our speakers and other attendees!
Kindly sponsored by Mayer Brown LLP
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End of day one
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