The European Commission is moving to postpone the review of the crucial chemicals regulation, REACH, to the next Commission. Coupled with the news that it has cancelled the initiative on asbestos screening, this is a major blow to efforts to protect people’s health at work.
The postponement was hinted at by Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and confirmed by DG GROW in a letter received by ETUC this week. The review was due by 2022. In delaying it until after the current mandate’s end, the Commission has failed to live up to its responsibility.