Luxembourg, 11 October 2005 Competitiveness Council 11 October 2005 –  REACH Presidency summing-up Overall, the Presidency is encouraged by the positive response to the  compromise  proposal  and  the  constructive  contribution  of  all delegations. This debate has taken us an important step closer to achieving   agreement   on   this   dossier   at   our   next   meeting   in November. I would like to make the following concluding remarks: With  regard  to  the  registration  of  substances  between  1  and  10 tonnes, it seems to the Presidency that there is broad support for a targeted approach to information requirements as proposed by the Presidency including additional information in Annex V. Some delegations have expressed a preference for the approach only to apply to existing substances.

It   appears   to   the   Presidency   that   a   significant   number   of delegations are in favour of a system in which the requirement for determining  whether  further  information  is  to  be  provided  is  kept with the registrant. The  Presidency  notes that this  approach  would  not  preclude  that the Agency could be involved in assisting industry decisions. Regarding  the  registration  of  substances  between  10  and  100 tonnes, it appears to the Presidency that there is broad consensus that    the    Presidency’s    proposal    to    reduce    the    information requirements is appropriate, though some delegations signalled an openness to consider the possibility of exposure-based waiving of information in this tonnage range. The  Presidency  notes  a  broad  consensus  towards  sharing  of  all data and joint submission of information for registrants of the same substance provided that further consideration is given to provisions aiming to ensure that companies are able to act in a cost-efficient way and adequate protection of commercial business information.

The  Council  therefore  instructs  the  Permanent  Representatives Committee to examine the issues discussed in more detail with a view to preparing for a political agreement on REACH at the next session  of  the  Competitiveness  Council  at  the  end  of  November 2005. _______________