Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The revision of the Basic Regulation of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) comes at a decisive moment for the Union’s ambition to better protect human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of chemicals on the one hand and improve the services provided to industry and SMEs on the over hand. As rapporteur, I strongly believe that this reform must give ECHA the tools, capacities and flexibility it needs to deliver on rapidly expanding responsibilities. The Commission’s own explanatory memorandum already underlines the structural underfunding and rigid budgetary framework that have constrained the Agency’s work since its creation. As we expect ECHA to carry out ever more complex scientific assessments, support innovation, and ensure a truly efficient EU chemicals policy, it must be provided with stable, adequate financial resources and greater room for budgetary manoeuvre. Only then will the Agency be able to plan strategically, respond to new scientific needs, and retain the expertise necessary to protect citizens and ecosystems.

My draft report reflects this conviction. First, it reiterates that the core mission of ECHA remains the protection of human health and of the environment. This must be the compass guiding all aspects of its governance, operations and cooperation. The amendments therefore reinforce these primary objectives and clarify the Agency’s responsibilities in assessing both risks and hazards of chemicals, ensuring that the overarching purpose of prevention stays at the heart of the regulation.

Second, the report updates ECHA’s mandate to integrate horizontal tasks stemming from new legislation, most notably the One Substance One Assessment (OSOA) package, which tasks ECHA with new data-gathering and sustainability-assessment functions. The amendments reflect the need to incorporate these priorities structurally within the Agency’s objectives and operations, including enhanced monitoring of emerging risks. In this context, the Agency must also contribute to developing cutting-edge scientific knowledge. This is why the report explicitly mandates ECHA to play a role in research on the exposome, and in particular the links between exposure to hazardous chemicals and negative health impacts. Building this scientific understanding is essential if EU public policies are to reflect the real-life combined exposures European citizens face.

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ChangedThird, the Basic Regulation must ensure more robust governance of ECHA’s resources. I have therefore proposed that the Agency carry out regular assessments of the adequacy between its mandate and its financial and human resources, ensuring that each expansion of tasks is matched with appropriate capacity. These assessments should directly inform the preparation of the annual budget so that political ambition and operational reality are aligned. My report also proposes that ECHA should be able to temporarily assign staff to other institutions, or finance staff or projects in other institutions, such as Member states bodies, in order to reinforce the capacity and contribute to the work of Member States Competent Authorities on tasks related to the Agency’s mandate and their capacity to appoint committee members and experts ECHA needs to mobilize to achieve its goals.mandate.

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ChangedAnother major priority is to strengthen the cooperation between EU agencies working on health, food safety, environment and chemicals. Stakeholders and agencies themselves have repeatedly called for more coherence, shared data and better anticipatory capacity. Building on the very positive experience of the Cross-Agency One Health Task Force, my amendments propose to make this collaboration permanent through a structured and durable task force bringing together ECHA, EFSA, EMA, ECDCECDC, EEA, and EEA.EU-OSHA. This framework will help develop joint actions, share methodologies and support a common scientific agenda for chemicals safety. It is a concrete step towards a more integrated, transdisciplinary and efficient EU chemicals governance.

In conclusion, this report aims to equip ECHA with the means, clarity of mission and collaborative architecture it needs to meet the expectations of citizens, policymakers and industry alike. A strong, well-resourced and forward-looking ECHA is indispensable for a healthier and safer Europe.