UK Tory leader switches to REACH 

Cameron said that he changed his mind after he was taken to the Arctic by WWF in April this year. "I was able to talk to scientists not just about the threat of climate change but also about the threat of toxic chemicals," he said.

"The Conservatives' change of direction to support this policy may well alter the result of a key EU vote," WWF responded.

MEPs are gearing up for a Plenary vote on REACH in November this year with Guido Sacconi, the Italian Socialist MEP in charge of the dossier, busy looking for a compromise both within the Parliament's main political groups and the EU Council of ministers.

However, a debate  in the European Parliament's environment Committee on 4 October suggested that the EPP-ED, the largest political group in Parliament to which the Tories are attached, may not back any agreement. Ria Oomen-Ruijten MEP, the shadow rapporteur on REACH for the EPP-ED, warned that her group might not follow the Environment Committee if it fails to take on board key amendments agreed in the first reading. Last year, the EPP-ED managed to obtain concessions in the first reading to calm business fears about excessive red tape in REACH.

Thomas Bickl, from the EPP-ED press service, says "there will be a joint line" focused on finding a position that the Council can agree to. He said that he was "confident" that all MEPs in the group will vote in uniformly.

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies said that the ALDE will not hesitate to go to conciliation if the second reading proves unsatisfactory. ALDE is the third-largest group in Parliament and often collaborates with the Greens to gain a majority on key dossiers.

However, real negotiations between Parliament, Council and the Commission will not start before the environment committee vote scheduled on 10 October.