What's happening now?
(Updated on 5 December 2006)
Where does REACH stand right now? The Parliament and Council have concluded their second reading negotiations with a compromise agreement [read more]. This reading involved Parliament formulating its views on the Council Common Position (from the first reading); and the Council and the Commission consequently negotiating with Parliament representatives. These negotiations are called the “trialogue”. (For a brief explanation of the steps in EU decision-making process, please see the section entitled “Co-Decision in the EU” under the tab What’s Happened So Far.
Compromise package (pdf, 3 Mb)
What happens next?
The Parliament's final vote on REACH is due at the Plenary session on 13 December, where the deputies will be voting on the so called “second reading agreement”. This means that the version on which the Parliament votes has been pre-agreed with the Council and Commission, so that the Parliament’s vote constitutes a final endorsement, which the Council of Ministers subsequently “rubber-stamps”. However, if the Parliament rejects the agreement (not likely), the next step is a Conciliation. Whenever agreement is reached, the new law is likely to be implemented by mid 2007.
Downloads
Download the REACH text (pdf, 1,7 MB)
Facts and controversial issues 2006 (ppt, 1,26MB)
Report:
Implications of
REACH for developing countries
(pdf, 1MB)
Les implications de REACH pour
les pays en développement
(pdf, 1,4MB)