Dec. 31 US and EU : EPA and European Chemicals Agency Sign Agreement to Enhance Chemical Safety

From: EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have announced a partnership that will promote enhanced technical cooperation on chemical management activities. The partnership is part of EPA’s commitment to improve chemical safety. ECHA is the agency that implements the European Union’s chemical management program known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals).

A statement issued puts in place a process for working together on a range of issues of mutual interest including toxicity testing, the hazard and risk assessment of chemicals, risk management tools, scientific collaboration, and information exchange.

One of the major anticipated areas of collaboration will be on the exchange of data and information….The two agencies will also share criteria for managing confidential business information with the goal to increase the availability of chemical information to the public.

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