A study on REACH contribution to development of emerging technologies

The role of emerging technologies

Emerging technologies such as nanotechnologies, micro-and nanoelectronics etc. offer Europe a possibility to meet the challenges of Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (EU 2020). Emerging technologies represent advances and innovation in various fields of technology. Various converging technologies have emerged as different systems and technologies have been evolving towards similar goals, finding synergy and beneficial phenomena, creating new efficiencies.

Technological growth includes incremental developments and disruptive technologies. Disruptive technologies are those where a new method replaces the previous technology and make it redundant. Emerging technologies in general denote significant technological developments that broach new territory in some significant way in their field. Emerging technologies generate innovation advances already in areas such as information and communication technology (ICT), renewable energy generation, aerospace, automotive and transport, health care, agrifood, security and textiles as well as environmental treatment and remediation.

The European chemicals' regulation  and emerging technologies

The core legal frameworks for emerging technologies in chemicals sector are REACH (Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) and CLP (Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging). It is important how the legal frameworks contribute to the success, growth potential and competitiveness of companies engaged in development, commercialisation and uptake of emerging technologies. Many of these companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) or spin-offs. As the SME sector contributes a large part of new jobs created in the EU, the promotion of regulatory frameworks of these enterprises is of particular interest.

Although REACH shifts the burden of proof of the safety from authorities to companies, special arrangements have been created e.g. to support further research, pilot phases of products and process developments and via tiered information requirements. Further support is provided through longer registration periods, fee reductions for smaller tonnages and through exclusion of substances produced annually in quantities below one tonne from the registration obligations.

Focus of the study 

This study for the DG Enterprise and Industry assesses current and further possibilities of REACH and CLP to effectively foster innovative development, enhanced commercialisation and speeded uptake of products of emerging technologies to ensure their contribution to addressing the EU 2020 challenges.  The study shall entail recommendations for areas in which improvement could be made.

The team

The team working on the project is multidisciplinary and covers expertise in emerging technologies, chemicals and health, safety and environmental management, innovation, legislation and business development. The team consists of experts from Gaia, Spinverse and Attorneys at law Borenius.