'Be aware of new EU chemical rules'
SGS (Thailand), a company specialising in inspection, verification, testing and certification services, urges that Thai exporters be aware of a new European regulation, called Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach).
Reach is a single EU regulatory system for chemical substances, which the European Commission announced in December. Research executive Douglas Wong said the European Commission had set up this policy in order to avoid environmental damage and improve citizens' health. It will also encourage innovation in the chemical industry and increase consumer confidence in their products, he said. He explained that when Reach came into effect in June this year, importers in Europe would have to register with the European Chemical Agencies in order to submit substance reports from product-manufacturers. One of the Reach regulations is that manufacturers or importers of a substance in quantities of more than one tonne per annum must submit to registration. "Hence it is important for Thai operators to focus on control and certify their product's quality and dangerous substances," business manager Pradit Yongpanchai said. If exporters do not adapt to the EU policy as soon as their rivals do, they will lose competitiveness in European markets, he said. Therefore SGS is speeding up the flow of information to local manufacturers and exporters because few know the details of the new regulations. He added that the company aimed to certify about 50 manufacturers in the electronic-parts, electrical-appliances and automotive industries this year. Pradit said there was no testing laboratory for Reach in the Kingdom at the moment. SGS (Thailand) has to transfer products to its laboratories in the US, Belgium, France, Germany and India. He said it was evaluating customers in Thailand before deciding whether to establish a Reach laboratory here, which might require an investment of Bt50 million to Bt60 million.
Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul The Nation
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