Chemicals companies that must comply with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (CLP) will also be able to work in their own language now that the ECHA has translated its guidance documents.
Industry has long complained of the onerous administrative costs facing businesses in the chemicals sector, and SMEs find it particularly difficult to comply with the CLP regulations and REACH directive.
Fees for the CLP are down 90% for micro-enterprises, 60% for small companies and 30% for medium-sized companies. These fees apply when a company asks for an alternative name for a substance or requests harmonised classification and labelling for substances. Companies can also use the new alternative name in a number of additional mixtures without paying an extra fee.
European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for industry and entrepreneurship, said the move will help smaller companies in the chemical sector to be more competitive. "With the REACH and CLP regulations, we have laid the foundations for a modern legislative scheme, which also creates new opportunities for businesses," he explained.
SMEs will also get assistance on REACH and CLP from national helpdesks operating in all EU countries. Vice-President Tajani recently urged member states to make sure that the helpdesks are appropriately staffed to meet growing demand.
Meanwhile, a group of senior managers from the Commission, ECHA and six industry organisations has been working on practical solutions that can help companies to successfully pass the upcoming REACH registration deadline of 30 November 2010.
The deadline has put major pressure on industry, forcing businesses to increase staff numbers to comply with the regulation.
