Progress for EC chemicals policy

An important step in the EC's chemicals policy was taken on 23 March when Environment Ministers adopted a Regulation which will pave the way to a Community programme for evaluating and controlling the risks posed by thousands of older chemicals. Meanwhile, the European Commission has published a long-awaited Directive which updates the test methods to be used for new chemicals, and has also circulated an initial proposal for a common Community approach to risk assessment of new chemicals.