The EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: One Year On

Leigh is Chemical Watch News & Insight's Managing Editor and was previously in charge of our global business coverage. Prior to joining the company, Leigh wrote for the Press Association, ICIS and edie.net, covering a range of environmental and business related topics.

Bjorn is ECHA's second Executive Director with a mandate running from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. He is ECHA's legal representative, in charge of the day-to-day management and all staff matters, working first at the European Chemicals Bureau at the JRC in Italy and then from 2003 in the Chemicals Unit of DG Environment in Belgium. There Bjorn became Head of Unit in 2012. He already spent one year in ECHA in 2007-2008 as Director of Operations. Bjorn was involved in the development of REACH and CLP from their very early days.

For over 24 years Claudio Mereu has been focusing on EU Regulatory law, with an emphasis on the chemicals (REACH), pesticides, biocides and life sciences industry sectors. Claudio handles product approval and registration processes in the EU, related litigation before European and national courts, as well as ECHA’s Board of Appeal, and counsels companies on a wide range of business law matters relating to their international agreements and commercial presence in Europe. His expertise covers all aspects of product stewardship, regulations and restrictions (including notification, data protection, mutual recognition, classification & labelling, marketing and use restrictions, parallel imports, environmental liability, product recalls and data compensation negotiations, amongst others). Claudio is highly recommended as a Tier1 lawyer by Legal500 and Chambers Europe, and is a regular speaker and panelist at international conferences.

Eléonore Mullier specializes in EU regulatory law and litigation. She advises clients who, whether based in the EU or not, come into contact with EU regulations affecting the placing on the EU market of their products. Eléonore's knowledge extends to the entire life-cycle of materials, from chemicals legislation (biocides, REACH, classification and labelling, POPs, PPPs, etc.) to product and waste legislation (CE marking, RoHS/WEEE, Ecodesign, medical devices, single use plastics, waste and end-of-waste). She also advises clients on the interface between these regulations and on cross-sectoral issues including the European Green Deal initiatives

As Scientific Policy Officer of the Consumer Products Unit EU Commission, Roberto is responsible for the implementation of EU Cosmetic products Regulation including managing the Borderline Product Working group. His expertise in the public sector stems from 5 years’ experience in the European Commission (Chemicals Unit) and 7 years' experience as Head of the Waste and Soil Bureau in the Environmental Protection Agency in Italy.

Simon joined the Eurometaux Team in 2021, to provide support on EU flagship developments such as the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Simon is a Materials Scientist with a degree and PhD from the University of Cambridge, UK. His experience includes 25 years in industry (20 years in mining), and 2 years in a metals industry association. During the last few years, his focus has been on market access issues for metals, including product stewardship and regulatory affairs.

Jean-Philippe Montfort is a partner at Mayer Brown based in Brussels, and the leader of Mayer Brown’s REACH and EU product regulatory team. Jean-Philippe provides strategic advice, as well as advocacy and litigation support to companies and trade associations in the defense of their substances under various REACH and CLP processes. Jean-Philippe is widely recognised as a very innovative, yet pragmatic legal advisor and litigator. He has a very successful track record before the European Courts and the Board of Appeal of ECHA, with landmark wins, such as the recent “TiO2” case.

Frida has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science. She has a solid background in the field of environmental NGOs. Frida joined ChemSec 2009 and is responsible for ChemSec strategic policy work as well as coordinating all ChemSec projects.

Andrew was, for the last 10 years, the Technically Qualified Member of the ECHA Board of Appeal. After the completion of his second and final term (mandated by REACH, Article 90.1) he is working as a consultant. He has over 30 years senior level experience working on national/EU/international regulatory chemicals issues.

Giuseppe Cassella is Head of the REACH unit in DG GROW at the European Commission since March 16, 2021.  Previously, I Head of the Unit in charge of Regulatory Barriers in the same directorate general (16.6.2011-15.3.2021). He is a fully qualified lawyer with a Diploma of Advanced European Legal Studies at the College of Europe, and started his career in Brussels in 1989 at the delegation of the Italian industry (Confindustria) to the European Communities.

Dr. Matthias Herzler is an analytical chemist and toxicologist with more than 15 years of practical experience in the human health risk assessment of pesticides, biocides, and industrial chemicals under EU legislation. He is currently heading the unit Coordination and Assessment Strategies in the Department of Chemical and Product Safety at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin.

Kenkichi FUJII BS, MSc, PhD, RRM is a Vice President - Safety & Toxicology at the ASEAN Cosmetic Association and a senior risk assessor for chemicals, cosmetics, consumer products and foods. He took PhD from Hokkaido University, and research in RIKEN, The Institute for Genetic Medicine and then worked as an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University. Since 2009, he joined to Kao R&D - Safety Science Research which is responsible for developing as well as tracking global developments in safety assessment. Currently he leads the regulatory science of global risk governance in chemicals and consumer products. He also involved in global professional activities; the International Life Science Institute Japan (ILSI) Risk Assessment Task Force, Vice President of the Society for Risk Analysis Japan, editorial board of the Encyclopedia of Risk Research, etc.

Sylvie, Cefic's Deputy Director General, has more than twenty years experience in EU regulatory affairs focused on chemicals policy, working in both trade associations (A.I.S.E. and Cefic) and in chemical companies (ExxonMobil Chemical, Dow).

Howard is Chairman of the European Regulation and Innovation Forum (ERIF), a former Chairman of the Industry Advisory Panel of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) and served on the European Commission High Level Group on Competitiveness, Energy and the Environment. Howard was has been Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive of Dow at the Dow Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) until August 2021. In that function, he has advised on major public policy and government relations issues of strategic importance for the company.

Stefan Scheuer has been working with CHEM Trust as Chief EU Policy Advocate since December 2019.  Stefan Scheuer has extensive experience of shaping and influencing EU energy and environmental policies, including chemical and water policy. He works with his consultancy team to develop advocacy strategies and forge alliances to win political majorities for effective action.

Liisi is a Product Stewardship Manager in Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council working on CLP and globally emerging regulations. She also represents Cefic at CARACAL meetings (CLP sessions), RAC ( CLH part) and the UN GHS sub-committee on classification. Before joining Cefic Liisi worked in ECHA in dossier evaluation as an environmental fate and ecotoxicology expert/scientific dossier manager. Liisi holds a MSc in Chemistry (food & biotechnology).

Steven Van de Broeck is Executive Director Product Stewardship at Cefic. He leads the Product Stewardship team of Cefic overseeing the implementation and development of EU Chemicals regulations and policies. 

Cristina de Avila is Head of the Sustainable Chemicals Unit of the European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General, where she has been in charge of drafting the Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, currently focusing on its implementation.