What is Annex VIII
Annex VIII aims to harmonize information on hazardous mixtures placed on the market. Importers and downstream users must communicate this information to the national bodies appointed to enable them to formulate medical measures, as required by Article 45 of the CLP.
The lack of harmonised information requirements has led to significant differences in the national reporting systems of the Member States. This has led to inconsistent information available to medical staff in case of poisoning or accidental exposure incidents.
Extension for consumer mixtures
The European Commission, after the meeting held in early July by the Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (Caracal), has confirmed the extension of one year for the date of application of the new notification system for hazardous mixtures intended for the consumer.
The extension was due to the difficulties encountered by a large number of companies in complying with the new UFI (Unique Formula Identifier) notification within the deadline. The postponement will allow Member States and Echa to be ready in time and allow industry to comply with Annex VIII by the deadline.
Open consultations
In addition, the EU executive has opened for comments on amendments to Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation regarding the information to be provided for health response in case of emergency (poison control centers).
Other deadlines
The remaining deadlines for the application of Annex VIII remain unchanged:
– mixtures for professional use: January 1, 2021
– mixtures for industrial use: January 1, 2024
Other points under discussion
Other proposals to amend the text of Annex VIII have raised doubts on the part of Cefic and the Downstream Users of Chemical Coordination group (Ducc).
Problems identified include:
– the effects of the high variability in the composition of the mixture due to the natural origin of the components;
– the difficulty of knowing the exact composition of the products in cases involving complex supply chains;
– the impact of multiple suppliers of mixture components with the same technical properties and hazards.
