Singapore trade bodies take action on EU's Reach

27 March 2008 12:30  [Source: ICIS news]

MUMBAI (ICIS news)--National standards body Spring Singapore and the Singapore Chemicals Industry Council (SCIC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to raise awareness of the challenges faced in complying with the EU’s new Reach industry regulations, it said on Thursday.

“A study commissioned by Spring last year showed that most companies are not adequately prepared to comply with the legislation,” said Loh Khum Yean, CEO of Spring.

“The MoU formalises Spring’s collaboration with SCIC on a range of outreach activities to help local enterprises - especially our SMEs in the chemical and related industries - to understand Reach and comply with the regulation in order to remain competitive in the global market,” Loh added.

The bodies would conduct a series of technical workshops which will provide the Singapore exporters with in-depth information and advice on the Reach processes and its compliance strategies, Spring added.

The process would help the impacted companies to maintain their business and trading interests, said A Chockalingam, the SCIC chairman.

In 2007, Singapore exported about $11bn (€6.93bn) of chemicals and related products to the EU, which was 23% of the nation’s entire exports, said the SCIC, adding Europe’s chemical industry was estimated to be worth about $36bn per annum.

In Singapore, about 500 companies in the chemical manufacturing and related industries will be affected by the Reach (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) policy, the national body said.

Reach, which came into effect on 1 June, requires manufacturers to register and evaluate the potential risks of chemicals entering EU and applies to the making and import of chemicals in quantities of one tonne and above.

By: Isha Jha
+65 6780 4359

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