CBA criticises EC's proposal to change Reach fees

22 October 2007 16:46  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--A European Commission (EC) proposal to increase registration costs for Reach by several hundred percent was described as "completely unacceptable" on Monday by the UK's Chemical Business Association (CBA).

 

“This is the second time that proposed Reach fees have escalated and they have now achieved a level where they are completely unacceptable and will inflict significant damage to the competitiveness of the industry,” the CBA’s Reach taskforce chairman Melvyn Whyte said.

 

The base fee for a joint submission to register a substance in the 1-10 tonnes category has been increased 200% to €1,200 ($1,644) while the fees for substances manufactured or imported totalling more than 1,000 tonnes/year have increased 191% to €23,250, the UK organisation said.

 

“These examples are some of the more modest increases. There are many others which represent increases of well over 500% on the original budget,” said Whyte.

 

The new fee scale does have reduced fees for medium, small and micro-sized companies, which make up 97% of the industry, the CBA added.

 

“But these reductions are financed by massive fee increases elsewhere,” it added.

 

The CBA has also criticised the new structure as too complicated and the cost of lodging an appeal as too expensive.

 

($1 = €0.70)

 

By: Lucy Craymer
+44 20 8652 3214

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