An interview with Marko Sušnik
Advisor to the Secretary General on Chemicals Policy, SMEunited, and Senior Advisor Chemical Policy, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ)
1. In your experience, what are the greatest challenges facing regulatory professionals in Europe today?
Right now we have a lot of uncertainties related to chemicals policy. It’s not clear, what the role of the Green Deal - and with this the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability - will be in the upcoming discussions. In my view, we are too frequently changing our rules for chemicals and constantly lamenting that we have not done enough. At the same time, we are very silent about what we have achieved e.g. with REACH in the last one-and-a-half decades. We have the safest chemicals, still the public perception has practically not changed from how it was before REACH. This is the second largest challenge for regulatory professionals: They will have to better share their great achievements with the public and make people buy safe chemicals made in the EU.
2. Can you give us a preview of what you will be speaking about? Why is it important for the industry to hear about this?
In my panel, we will discuss the essential use concept (EUC). I expect that the EUC will be one of the most important and controversial elements of any future legal framework. Also, I think that it will be highly challenging and resource-intensive to implement it. For everyone working with chemicals, this should be one important focus area.
3. What are you most looking forward to discussing with the other speakers and attendees?
Mostly I am looking forward to discussing the EUC with other experts. I’d like to have an exchange on how others see the future of this highly challenging concept, what its role could be in chemicals regulation, and what its limitations are.
