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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Chemicals strategy

The Commission’s European Green Deal sets out a zero-pollution ambition.

We took the first step toward that ambition when we published the 'Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: Towards a Toxic-free Environment' on 14 October 2020.

The main objectives of the Chemicals Strategy are to

  • ensure better protection of human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals
  • boost innovation for safe and sustainable chemicals
  • enable the transition to chemicals that are safe and sustainable by design

The chemicals strategy fully recognises the fundamental role of chemicals for human well-being and for the green and digital transition of European economy and society. At the same time, it acknowledges the need to address the health and environmental challenges caused by the most harmful chemicals. This includes for instance prohibiting the use of the most harmful chemicals in consumer products and ensuring that all chemicals are used more safely and sustainably. The strategy will also boost the investment and innovative capacity for production and use of chemicals that are safe and sustainable by design, and throughout their life cycle. By doing so the EU industry will remain a global frontrunner in the production and use of safe and sustainable chemicals.

The Inception Impact Assessments for REACH and the Inception Impact Assessment for CLP were published on 4 May 2021 on the 'Have your say' portal. Both of them are open for comments until 1 June 2021.

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