21 October 2017

EURIS Task Force Submission to Environmental Audit Select Committee Call for Evidence on the Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum Inquiry

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  1. Introduction

The EURIS Task Force is delighted to have the opportunity to respond to the Environmental Audit Select Committee’s inquiry on the future of chemicals regulation after the EU referendum. As the Committee highlights, the chemicals industry is the second largest exporter to the EU and regulation in this sector is important both in terms of providing value to the economy whilst also protecting public health and the environment.

  1. About the EURIS Task Force

The EURIS Task Force is an advisory body representing industrial product suppliers covered by the Single Market and the supporting regulations and standards.  EURIS members include industry trade associations BEAMA, GAMBICA, EAMA, REA, CESA, FETA, MTA and TechWorks, who between them represent over 3500 UK companies with a turnover of over £105 billion across electrotechncial, electronics, renewables and mechanical engineering products.

  1. Our position

EURIS members have a strong interest in the future of chemical and substance regulations, where these impact on the design and use of materials in the manufacturer of electrical, electronic, mechanical and related products. The planned expansion of substances covered by REACH will affect different products in different ways, and therefore under the current relationship with EU, industry will lobby for and against individual proposals.

Post Brexit, a greater concern for all companies will be the impact of regulatory divergence, given that they will have to follow all the changes brought about by REACH, in order to import and export to the EU, and other territories that follow EU Directives and legislation. This will be under a changed relationship where DEFRA will have no influence on the direction of the EU policy.

  1. Our call to Government

EURIS believes that to ensure the strong and stable future of this sector Government must provide:

  • Clarity of the DEFRA position on the substances covered by REACH.
  • Certainty that UK substance regulations post BREXIT will follow all changes in REACH post BREXIT.
  • Recognition of the increased need for industry to work hand-in hand with Government – in this case DEFRA up to and post BREXIT.