European Commission Finalizes Fees Under REACH Amid Industry Concern

摘要

The European Commission April 17 published in the Official Journal of the European Union a regulation ((EC) No. 340/2008) setting out the fees that manufacturers and importers of chemicals will be required to pay under the EU's REACH legislation. The fees range from E?D1,600 ($2,500) for registration of a substance manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 to 10 metric tons, to E?D31,000 ($48,700) for registration of a substance in the 1,000 metric tons or more band. The fees must be paid to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which has been established in Helsinki to administer REACH, which stands for registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals. Commission Vice President Guenter Verheugen said in a statement that the fees were part of "a modern [chemicals] registration scheme which protects human health and the environment." The fees were set at a level that would ensure the chemicals sectors could "continue to be competitive," Verheugen said.