Reach: UK sets date for EU ministers meeting

18 November 2005 18:02  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--UK, the holder of the European Union (EU) presidency, has set 19 December as the date for a special meeting of EU ministers to try to get a final agreement on Reach, a spokesman for the UK presidency said on Friday.

He added that Britain was hopeful the EU ministers would be able to strike a deal on the new law when they meet next month.

The European Parliament yesterday voted in favour of the new regulations under which the properties of roughly 30,000 chemicals produced or imported in the EU would have to be registered with a central agency, to be based in Finland.

Germany earlier this month succeeded in delaying the decision among competitive ministers scheduled for 28-29 November as the new government settles in. But it has been speculated that the move to delay the vote was deliberate, and meant to water down the new law.

By: Hilde Ovrebekk
+44 20 8652 3214

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