Chemicals: Deal with Council on simpler and more transparent assessment rules

The package consists of three proposals to streamline the safety assessments of chemicals across EU legislation by improving the availability and accessibility of data related to chemicals and maximising synergies between the EU agencies involved. A common data platform to improve access to data The proposal will establish a common data platform and ‘one-stop shop' access to data on chemicals compiled under EU legislation related to hazards, physico-chemical properties, presence in the environment, emissions, uses, and environmental sustainability. The data platform will also help to better estimate the level of exposure of EU citizens to chemicals by systematically collecting data about the levels of chemicals found in people (e.g. in blood or breast milk). Following Parliament’s request, the database will be more complete, as there will be a requirement to include information on chemicals present in products as well as safer alternatives to substances of concern. In addition, the agreed text encourages the submission of research data on chemicals while studies on chemicals undertaken to fulfil regulatory obligations will have to be notified to the data platform in order to increase transparency and limit duplication. Co-legislators also agreed on improving the mechanism to better detect early warnings signs on emerging chemical risks. Finally, co-legislators agreed to improve cooperation between the relevant EU agencies involved in scientific and technical work on...