ASEAN chemical players urged to speak out against E.U.'s rules

ASEAN chemical players urged to speak out against E.U.'s rules

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Singapore

ASEAN's chemical industry was urged to speak out against the
European Union's adoption of more stringent rules on imports at a
Singapore conference ending on Friday.

The Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals
(Reach) system will hinder trade and raise costs of exports to
the EU since it requires increased testing and more paperwork,
said Singapore Chemical Industry Council Chairman Ooi Chwee Kim.

"The biggest concern currently facing the chemical industry is
the EU's Reach," Ooi stressed. "This development has been a cause
of concern for all of us in the chemical industry."

Ooi made the comments at the ASEAN Chemical Industries Club
conference, a two-day event.

The EU, citing health and environmental reasons, finalized
draft legislation on Reach last October. It is expected to be
implemented by 2006.

The chemical industry is the second-largest component of
Singapore's key manufacturing sector after electronics.

ASEAN chemical players should not accept Reach as a fait
accompli, Ooi said. He urged them to raise their concerns.

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nation, groups
Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand,
Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (Burma).

Under Reach, enterprises that make or import more than one
tonne of a chemical substance a year would be required to
register it in a central database and include details such as the
use of the product and safe way to handle it.

Chemical sales in Asia are estimated to be worth US$600
billion a year.