2. General settlement principles

The main aim of REACH is therefore to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment, while maintaining the free circulation of substances on the internal market, improving competitiveness and strengthening innovation in the European chemical industry.

REACH ushers in a new era in chemicals policy in Europe. It represents a genuine overhaul of the European regulatory system, replacing almost forty existing directives. It applies not only to manufacturers and importers, but also to downstream users of chemical substances, whether on their own, in articles or in preparations. It increases our knowledge of the hazardous properties of chemicals, enabling us to effectively manage the risks associated with their use, while promoting the use of non-animal alternative methods for assessing the hazards of substances. It provides for the reinforcement...