One of Britain’s leading manufacturing exporters continue to face a multi-billion cost uncertainty as key deadlines have needed yet another extension bringing no health, environmental or growth benefits.

The United Kingdom Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals (UK REACH) law – a post-Brexit regulation which began life 5 years ago – will now have transitional deadlines before coming fully into force in 2029.

Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association, said: “The problem we now have is, because of the need for the three separate registration deadlines -  2029, 2030 and 2031 – that activity is squeezed into 12 month periods. The Government’s original published intentions were 2023, 2025 and 2027, then extend to 2027, 2029 and 2031. This latest extension shortens that necessary gap by half. That is despite almost three-quarters of responders to the Government’s recent consultation, seeking to preserve the 2-year gap. 

We have warned Government that this unnecessary and unjustified reduction of the implementation periods will lead to more threat of companies not doing business in the UK. The reason for the longer periods is to ensure that there is adequate time and resource to comply with what is currently unknown data requirements from Government. All of this does not deliver improvements to health & safety and environmental management.

As we have continously said to Government,  “A move towards a ‘Swiss-style’ legal framework (based on acknowledgement of existing European Union laws) for the registration aspect of REACH is needed. This would support businesses and align with the goals in the Government’s own Environmental Improvement Plan. 

Topics