How is REACH different than current legislation in the EU?
REACH replaces approximately 40 pieces of legislation with a single, streamlined and improved regulation. REACH creates the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) with responsibility for a central coordination and implementation role in the overall process. Other legislation regulating chemicals (e.g., on cosmetics, detergents) or related legislation (e.g., health and safety of workers handling chemicals, product safety, construction products) not replaced by REACH will continue to apply. REACH has been designed not to overlap or conflict with the other chemical legislation.
