Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 16 December 2008
on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee1,
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty2,
Whereas:
This Regulation should ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment as well as the free movement of chemical substances, mixtures and certain specific articles, while enhancing competitiveness and innovation.
The efficient functioning of the internal market for substances, mixtures and those articles can be achieved only if the requirements applicable to them do not differ significantly between Member States.
A high level of human health and environmental protection should be ensured in the approximation of legislation on the criteria for classification and labelling of substances and mixtures, with the goal of achieving sustainable development.
Trade in substances and mixtures is an issue relating not only to the internal market, but also to the global market. Enterprises should therefore benefit from the global harmonisation of rules for classification and labelling and from consistency between, on the one hand, the rules for classification and labelling for supply and use and, on the other hand, those for transport.
With a view to facilitating worldwide trade while protecting human health and the environment, harmonised criteria for classification and labelling have been carefully developed over a period of 12 years within the United Nations (UN) structure, resulting in the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (hereinafter referred to as ‘the GHS’).
This Regulation follows various declarations whereby the Community confirmed its intention to contribute to the global harmonisation of criteria for classification and labelling, not only at UN level, but also through the incorporation of the internationally agreed GHS criteria into Community law.
The benefits for enterprises will increase as more countries in the world adopt the GHS criteria in their legislation. The Community should be at the forefront of this process to encourage other countries to follow and with the aim of providing a competitive advantage to industry in the Community.
Therefore it is essential to harmonise the provisions and criteria for the classification and labelling of substances, mixtures and certain specific articles within the Community, taking into account the classification criteria and labelling rules of the GHS, but also by building on the 40 years of experience obtained through implementation of existing Community chemicals legislation and maintaining the level of protection achieved through the system of harmonisation of classification and labelling, through Community hazard classes not yet part of the GHS as well as through current labelling and packaging rules.
This Regulation should be without prejudice to the full and complete application of Community competition rules.
The objective of this Regulation should be to determine which properties of substances and mixtures should lead to a classification as hazardous, in order for the hazards of substances and mixtures to be properly identified and communicated. Such properties should include physical hazards as well as hazards to human health and to the environment, including hazards to the ozone layer.
This Regulation should, as a general principle, apply to all substances and mixtures supplied in the Community, except where other Community legislation lays down more specific rules on classification and labelling, such as Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products3, Council Directive 82/471/EEC of 30 June 1982 concerning certain products used in animal nutrition4, Council Directive 88/388/EEC of 22 June 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to flavourings for use in foodstuffs and to source materials for their production5, Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorised for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption6, Council Directive 90/385/EEC of 20 June 1990 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to active implantable medical devices7, Council Directive 93/42/EEC of 14 June 1993 concerning medical devices8, Directive 98/79/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 1998 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices9, Commission Decision 1999/217/EC of 23 February 1999 adopting a register of flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs drawn up in application of Regulation (EC) No 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council10, Directive 2001/82/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to veterinary medicinal products11, Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use12, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety13 and Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition14 or except where substances and mixtures are transported by air, sea, road, rail or inland waterways.
The terms and definitions used in this Regulation should be consistent with those set out in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)15, with those set out in the rules governing transport and with the definitions specified at UN level in the GHS, in order to ensure maximum consistency in the application of chemicals legislation within the Community in the context of global trade. The hazard classes specified in the GHS should be set out in this Regulation for the same reason.
It is especially appropriate to include those hazard classes defined in the GHS which specifically take account of the fact that the physical hazards which may be exhibited by substances and mixtures are to some extent influenced by the way in which they are released.
The term ‘mixture’ as defined in this Regulation should have the same meaning as the term ‘preparation’ previously used in Community legislation.
This Regulation should replace Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances16 as well as Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 1999 concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations17. It should maintain the overall current level of protection of human health and the environment provided by those Directives. Therefore, some hazard classes which are covered by those Directives but are not yet included in the GHS should be maintained in this Regulation.
Responsibility for the identification of hazards of substances and mixtures and for deciding on their classification should mainly lie with manufacturers, importers and downstream users of those substances or mixtures, regardless of whether they are subject to the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. In fulfilling their responsibilities for classification, downstream users should be allowed to use the classification of a substance or mixture derived in accordance with this Regulation by an actor in the supply chain, provided that they do not change the composition of the substance or mixture. Responsibility for classification of substances not placed on the market that are subject to registration or notification under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 should mainly lie with the manufacturers, producers of articles and importers. However, there should be a possibility to provide for harmonised classifications of substances for hazard classes of highest concern and of other substances on a case-by-case basis which should be applied by all manufacturers, importers and downstream users of such substances and of mixtures containing such substances.
Where a decision has been taken to harmonise the classification of a substance for a specific hazard class or differentiation within a hazard class by including or revising an entry for that purpose in Part 3 of Annex VI to this Regulation, the manufacturer, importer and downstream user should apply this harmonised classification, and only self-classify for the remaining, non-harmonised hazard classes or differentiations within the hazard class.
To ensure that customers receive information on hazards, suppliers of substances and mixtures should ensure that they are labelled and packaged in accordance with this Regulation before placing them on the market, according to the classification derived. In fulfilling their responsibilities downstream users should be allowed to use the classification of a substance or mixture derived in accordance with this Regulation by an actor in the supply chain, provided that they do not change the composition of the substance or mixture, and distributors should be allowed to use the classification of a substance or mixture derived in accordance with this Regulation by an actor in the supply chain.
To ensure information on hazardous substances is available when they are included in mixtures containing at least one substance that is classified as hazardous, supplemental labelling information should be provided, where applicable.
While a manufacturer, importer or downstream user of any substance or mixture should not be obliged to generate new toxicological or eco-toxicological data for the purpose of classification, he should identify all relevant information available to him on the hazards of the substance or mixture and evaluate its quality. The manufacturer, importer or downstream user should also take into account historical human data, such as epidemiological studies on exposed populations, accidental or occupational exposure and effect data, and clinical studies. That information should be compared with the criteria for the different hazard classes and differentiations in order for that manufacturer, importer or downstream user to arrive at a conclusion as to whether or not the substance or mixture should be classified as hazardous.
While the classification of any substance or mixture may be carried out on the basis of available information, the available information to be used for the purposes of this Regulation should preferably have been generated in accordance with the test methods referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, transport provisions or international principles or procedures for the validation of information, so as to ensure quality and comparability of the results and consistency with other requirements at international or Community level. The same test methods, provisions, principles and procedures should be followed where the manufacturer, importer or downstream user chooses to generate new information.
To facilitate hazard identification for mixtures, manufacturers, importers and downstream users should base this identification on the data for the mixture itself, where available, except for mixtures with carcinogenic, germ cell mutagenic or reproductive toxic substances, or where the biodegradation or bioaccumulation properties in the hazard class hazardous to the aquatic environment are evaluated. In those cases, as the hazards of the mixture cannot be sufficiently assessed in a manner that is based on the mixture itself, the data for the individual substances of the mixture should normally be used as a basis for the hazard identification of the mixture.
If sufficient information is available on similar tested mixtures, including relevant ingredients of the mixtures, it is possible to determine the hazardous properties of an untested mixture by applying certain rules known as ‘bridging principles’. Those rules allow characterisation of the hazards of the mixture without performing tests on it, but rather by building on the available information on similar tested mixtures. Where no or inadequate test data are available for the mixture itself, manufacturers, importers and downstream users should therefore follow the bridging principles to ensure adequate comparability of results of the classification of such mixtures.
Specific industry sectors may establish networks to facilitate exchange of data and bring together expertise in the evaluation of information, test data, weight of evidence determinations and bridging principles. Such networks may support manufacturers, importers and downstream users within those industry sectors, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the fulfilment of their obligations under this Regulation. Those networks may also be used to exchange information and best practices with a view to simplifying fulfilment of the notification obligations. Suppliers making use of such support should remain fully responsible for the fulfilment of their classification, labelling and packaging responsibilities under this Regulation.
The protection of animals falling within the scope of Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes18 is of high priority. Accordingly, where the manufacturer, importer or downstream user chooses to generate information for the purposes of this Regulation, they should first consider means other than testing on animals within the scope of Directive 86/609/EEC. Tests on non-human primates should be prohibited for the purposes of this Regulation.
The test methods in Commission Regulation (EC) No 440/2008 of 30 May 2008 laying down test methods pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)19 are regularly reviewed and improved with a view to reducing testing on vertebrate animals and the number of animals involved. The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) of the Commission's Joint Research Centre plays an important role in the scientific assessment and validation of alternative test methods.
The classification and labelling criteria set out in this Regulation should take the utmost account of promoting alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances and mixtures and of the obligation to generate information on intrinsic properties by means other than tests on animals within the meaning of Directive 86/609/EEC as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Future criteria should not become a barrier to this aim and the corresponding obligations under that Regulation, and should under no circumstances lead to the use of animal tests where alternative tests are adequate for the purposes of classification and labelling.
For the purposes of classification, data should not be generated by means of testing on humans. Available, reliable epidemiological data and experience with regard to the effects of substances and mixtures on humans (e.g. occupational data and data from accident databases) should be taken into account and may be given priority over data derived from animal studies when they demonstrate hazards not identified from those studies. The results of animal studies should be weighed against the results of data from humans and expert judgement should be used to ensure the best protection of human health when evaluating both the animal and human data.
New information as regards physical hazards should always be necessary, except if the data are already available or if a derogation is provided for in this Regulation.
Testing that is carried out for the sole purpose of this Regulation should be carried out on the substance or mixture in the form(s) or physical state(s) in which the substance or mixture is placed on the market and in which it can reasonably be expected to be used. It should, however, be possible to use, for the purpose of this Regulation, the results of tests that are carried out to comply with other regulatory requirements, including those laid down by third countries, even if the tests were not carried out on the substance or mixture in the form(s) or physical state(s) in which it is placed on the market and in which it can reasonably be expected to be used.
If tests are performed, they should comply where appropriate with the relevant requirements for the protection of laboratory animals, set out in Directive 86/609/EEC, and, in the case of ecotoxicological and toxicological tests, good laboratory practice, set out in Directive 2004/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 on the harmonisation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the application of the principles of good laboratory practice and the verification of their application for tests on chemical substances20.
The criteria for classification in different hazard classes and differentiations should be set out in an annex, which should also contain additional provisions as to how the criteria may be met.
Recognising that the application of the criteria for the different hazard classes to information is not always straightforward and simple, manufacturers, importers and downstream users should apply weight of evidence determinations involving expert judgement to arrive at adequate results.
Specific concentration limits for substances should be assigned to a substance by a manufacturer, importer or downstream user in accordance with the criteria referred to in this Regulation, provided the manufacturer, importer or downstream user is able to justify the limits and informs the European Chemicals Agency (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agency’) accordingly. However, specific concentration limits should not be set for harmonised hazard classes or differentiations for substances included in the harmonised classification and labelling tables annexed to this Regulation. Guidance should be provided by the Agency for the purpose of setting the specific concentration limits. In order to ensure uniformity, specific concentration limits should also be included, where appropriate, in cases of harmonised classifications. Specific concentration limits should take precedence over any other concentration limit for the purpose of classification.
Multiplying factors (M-factors) for substances classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment, acute category 1 or chronic category 1, should be assigned to a substance by a manufacturer, importer or downstream user in accordance with the criteria referred to in this Regulation. Guidance should be provided by the Agency for the purpose of setting the M-factors.
For reasons of proportionality and workability, generic cut-off values should be defined, both for identified impurities, additives and individual constituents of substances and for substances in mixtures, specifying when information on these should be taken into account in determining the hazard classification of substances and mixtures.
To ensure adequate classification of mixtures, available information on synergistic and antagonistic effects should be taken into account for the classification of mixtures.
Manufacturers, importers and downstream users should re-evaluate the classifications of substances or mixtures they place on the market if they become aware of new adequate and reliable scientific or technical information that may affect those classifications or if they change the composition of their mixtures, to ensure that the classification is based on up-to-date information, unless there is sufficient evidence that the classification would not change. Suppliers should update the labels accordingly.
Substances and mixtures classified as hazardous should be labelled and packaged according to their classification, so as to ensure appropriate protection and to provide essential information to their recipients, by drawing their attention to the hazards of the substance or mixture.
The two instruments foreseen by this Regulation to be used to communicate the hazards of substances and mixtures are labels and the safety data sheets provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Of these two, the label is the only tool for communication to consumers, but it may also serve to draw the attention of workers to the more comprehensive information on substances or mixtures provided in safety data sheets. Since the provisions on safety data sheets are included in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 which uses the safety data sheet as the main communication tool within the supply chain of substances, it is appropriate not to duplicate the same provisions in this Regulation.
To ensure proper and comprehensive information provision to consumers on the hazards and safe use of chemicals and mixtures, the use and dissemination of Internet sites and free-phone numbers should be promoted, particularly in connection with information provision on specific types of packaging.
Workers and consumers worldwide would benefit from a globally harmonised hazard communication tool in the form of labelling. Therefore, the elements to be included in labels should be specified in accordance with the hazard pictograms, signal words, hazard statements and precautionary statements which form the core information of the GHS. Other information included in labels should be limited to a minimum and should not call into question the main elements.
It is essential that the substances and mixtures placed on the market are well identified. However, the Agency should allow enterprises, upon their request and where necessary, to describe the chemical identity of certain substances in a way that does not put the confidential nature of their businesses at risk. Where the Agency refuses such a request, an appeal should be allowed in accordance with this Regulation. The appeal should have a suspensive effect, so that the confidential information with regard to which the request has been made, should not appear on the label while the appeal is pending.
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is a long-standing global authority on chemical nomenclature and terminology. Identification of substances by their IUPAC name is widespread practice worldwide and provides the standard basis for identifying substances in an international and multilingual context. It is therefore appropriate to use these names for the purposes of this Regulation.
The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) provides a system whereby substances are added to the CAS Registry and are assigned a unique CAS Registry Number. Those CAS numbers are used in reference works, databases, and regulatory compliance documents throughout the world to identify substances without the ambiguity of chemical nomenclature. It is therefore appropriate to use the CAS numbers for the purposes of this Regulation.
To limit the information on the label to the most essential information, principles of precedence should determine the most appropriate label elements for cases in which substances or mixtures possess several hazardous properties.
Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market21 and Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market22 should remain fully applicable to any product within their scope.
Statements such as ‘non-toxic’, ‘non-harmful’, ‘non-polluting’, ‘ecological’ or other statements indicating that the substance or mixture is not hazardous or any other statements that are inconsistent with its classification should not appear on the label or packaging of any substance or mixture.
In general, substances and mixtures, especially those supplied to the general public, should be supplied in packaging together with the necessary labelling information. The supply of appropriate information between professionals, including for unpackaged substances and mixtures, is ensured by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. However, in exceptional circumstances, substances and mixtures may also be supplied to the general public unpackaged. Where appropriate, relevant labelling information should be supplied to the general public by other means, such as an invoice or bill.
Rules for the application of labels and the location of information on labels are necessary to ensure that the information on labels can be easily understood.
This Regulation should set general packaging standards, in order to ensure the safe supply of hazardous substances and mixtures.
The resources of the authorities should be focused on substances of the highest concern with regard to health and to the environment. Provision should therefore be made to enable competent authorities and manufacturers, importers and downstream users to submit proposals to the Agency for a harmonised classification and labelling of substances classified for carcinogenicity, germ cell mutagenicity or reproductive toxicity categories 1A, 1B or 2, for respiratory sensitisation, or in respect of other effects on a case-by-case basis. The competent authorities of Member States should also be able to propose harmonised classification and labelling for active substances used in plant protection products and biocidal products. The Agency should give its opinion on the proposal while interested parties should have an opportunity to comment. The Commission should submit a draft decision on the final classification and labelling elements.
In order to take full account of the work and experience accumulated under Directive 67/548/EEC, including the classification and labelling of specific substances listed in Annex I of Directive 67/548/EEC, all existing harmonised classifications should be converted into new harmonised classifications using the new criteria. Moreover, as the applicability of this Regulation is deferred and the harmonised classifications in accordance with the criteria of Directive 67/548/EEC are relevant for the classification of substances and mixtures during the ensuing transition period, all existing harmonised classifications should also be placed unchanged in an annex to this Regulation. By subjecting all future harmonisations of classifications to this Regulation, inconsistencies in harmonised classifications of the same substance under the existing and the new criteria should be avoided.
In order to achieve the efficient functioning of the internal market for substances and mixtures, while at the same time ensuring a high level of protection for human health and the environment, rules should be established for a classification and labelling inventory. The classification and labelling for any registered or hazardous substance placed on the market should therefore be notified to the Agency to be included in the inventory.
The Agency should study the possibilities for further simplification of the notification procedure in particular taking into account the needs of SMEs.
Different manufacturers and importers of the same substance should make every effort to agree on a single classification for that substance except for hazard classes and differentiations subject to a harmonised classification for that substance.
To ensure a harmonised level of protection for the general public, and, in particular, for persons who come into contact with certain substances, and the proper functioning of other Community legislation relying on classification and labelling, an inventory should record the classification in accordance with this Regulation agreed, if possible, by manufacturers and importers of the same substance, as well as decisions taken at Community level to harmonise the classification and labelling of some substances.
The information included in the classification and labelling inventory should benefit from the same degree of accessibility and protection as that afforded by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, especially with regard to information which, if disclosed, risks jeopardising the commercial interests of those concerned.
Member States should appoint the competent authority or competent authorities responsible for proposals for harmonised classification and labelling and the authorities responsible for the enforcement of the obligations set out in this Regulation. Member States should put in place effective monitoring and control measures in order to ensure compliance with this Regulation.
It is important to provide advice to suppliers and any other interested parties, in particular SMEs, on their respective responsibilities and obligations under this Regulation. The national helpdesks already established under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 may act as the national helpdesks provided for under this Regulation.
In order for the system established by this Regulation to operate effectively, it is important that there should be good cooperation and coordination between the Member States, the Agency and the Commission.
In order to provide focal points for information on hazardous substances and mixtures, Member States should appoint bodies responsible for receiving information relating to health and to the chemical identity, components and nature of substances, including those for which the use of an alternative chemical name has been allowed in accordance with this Regulation, in addition to the competent authorities for the application and the authorities responsible for the enforcement of this Regulation.
The responsible bodies, where requested by a Member State, may undertake statistical analysis to identify where improved risk management measures might be needed.
Regular reports by the Member States and the Agency on the operation of this Regulation should be an indispensable means of monitoring the implementation of chemicals legislation as well as trends in this field. Conclusions drawn from findings in the reports should be useful and practical tools for reviewing the Regulation and, where necessary, for formulating proposals for amendments.
The Forum for the exchange of information on enforcement in the Agency, established by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, should also exchange information about the enforcement of this Regulation.
In order to ensure transparency, impartiality and consistency in the level of enforcement activities by Member States, it is necessary for Member States to set up an appropriate framework with a view to imposing effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for non-compliance with this Regulation, as non-compliance can result in damage to human health and the environment.
Rules should be laid down requiring advertisements for substances meeting the criteria for classification set out in this Regulation to mention the associated hazards, in order to protect recipients of substances, including consumers. Advertisements for mixtures classified as hazardous that allow a member of the general public to conclude a contract for purchase without first having sight of the label should mention the type or types of hazard indicated on the label, for the same reason.
A safeguard clause should be provided to address situations where a substance or a mixture constitutes a serious risk to human health or the environment, even if, in compliance with this Regulation, it is not classified as hazardous. Should such a situation occur, action at the UN level may be necessary in view of the global nature of trade in substances and mixtures.
While many of the obligations on enterprises laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 are triggered by classification, this Regulation should not alter the scope and impact of that Regulation, except for its provisions on safety data sheets. To ensure this, that Regulation should be amended accordingly.
The application of this Regulation should be staggered to allow all parties involved, authorities, enterprises as well as stakeholders, to focus resources on preparing for new duties at the right times. Therefore, and because the classification of mixtures depends on the classification of substances, the provisions for the classification of mixtures should only be applied after the reclassification of all substances. Operators should be allowed to apply the classification criteria contained in this Regulation earlier on a voluntary basis, but in that case to avoid confusion the labelling and packaging should comply with this Regulation instead of Directives 67/548/EEC or 1999/45/EC.
To avoid unnecessary burdens on enterprises, substances and mixtures which are already in the supply chain when the labelling provisions of this Regulation become applicable to them may continue to be placed on the market without relabelling for a certain period of time.
Since the objectives of this Regulation, namely harmonising the classification, labelling and packaging rules, providing an obligation to classify and establishing a harmonised list of substances classified at Community level as well as a classification and labelling inventory, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
This Regulation observes the fundamental rights and principles which are acknowledged in particular in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union23.
This Regulation should contribute to the fulfilment of the Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM) adopted on 6 February 2006 in Dubai.
Subject to developments at UN level, the classification and labelling of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances should be included in this Regulation at a later stage.
The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission24.
In particular, the Commission should be empowered to adapt this Regulation to technical and scientific progress, including incorporating amendments made at UN level to the GHS, in particular any such UN amendments relating to the use of information on similar mixtures. In carrying out such adaptations to technical and scientific progress the biannual working rhythm at UN level should be taken into account. Furthermore, the Commission should be empowered to decide on the harmonised classification and labelling of specific substances. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, they must be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.
When, on imperative grounds of urgency, the normal time limits for the regulatory procedure with scrutiny cannot be complied with, the Commission should be able to apply the urgency procedure provided for in Article 5a(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC for the adoption of adaptations to technical progress.
The Commission should also for the purposes of this Regulation be assisted by the Committee established by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, with a view to ensuring a consistent approach to the updating of chemicals legislation,
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