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Technical
assistance to the Commission on the implementation of GHS
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Commissioned by:
European Commission, DG Environment
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Carried out by:
Antonia Reihlen
Oekopol, Institute for Environmental Strategies, Hamburg, Germany
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In co-operation with:
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Beratungsstelle Arbeit und Gesundheit
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Duration:
December 2003 - June 2004
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| Background |
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| In the Rio Declaration of 1992, it was decided
that "A globally-harmonized hazard classification and compatible
labelling system including material safety data sheets and easily
understandable symbols, should be available, if feasible, by the year
2000." In December 2002, the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
was agreed on at international level and in July 2003 it was formally
adopted by the UN ECOSOC. |
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| The Commission White Paper for a future Chemicals Policy
proposes to simplify the current classification and labelling system
through the GHS. Thus, the implementation of the GHS is planned in
the EU and the current system of classification, labelling and safety
data sheets as laid down in Directives 67/548/EEC (substances), 99/45/EC
(preparations) and 91/155/EEC (safety data sheets) will be replaced. |
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| The GHS is a voluntary system and foresees the possibility
to implement only parts of it (building block approach). |
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| Objectives |
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The objective of the project is to provide
the European Commission with a synopsis of the two classification
systems. By comparing the two systems, it shall be identified which
provisions are in agreement and which differ in the two systems. Differences
may regard the coverage (gaps in the EU system compared to the GHS
and vice versa) as well as methodological approaches.
The synopsis shall summarize the expert work on the GHS implementation
of the past and indicate where additional work is necessary.
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| Tasks |
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| A two-part synopsis will be established by analysing
the existing documents on the expert work and discussions already
carried out at EU-level. The information is complemented by expert
interviews. |
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| It is hereby assessed which issues: |
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- are in agreement in both systems
- exist in the GHS, but are not covered by the current EU system
- exist in the current EU system, but not in the GHS
- are addressed in both systems, but in different ways.
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| The recommendations on how to implement the GHS in a
future EU legislation are also summarised in the synopsis. Open questions
are indicated and pre-discussed options are listed. The need for guidance
materials is included in the synopsis as well. |
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| Contact |
| Dirk Jepsen |
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