Packaging innovations continue to offer consumers more convenience and better product protection, while also providing eye-catching ways to focus on customers' brands and products. Yet, business challenges remain that will affect members of the converting industry and their customers around the world.
As 2005 comes to a close, we review below a few selected legal and regulatory developments likely to have an impact on the converting industry.
Internationally, work continues toward a High Level Declaration on a Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The SAICM initiative is an outgrowth of the summit on sustainable development held in Johannesburg in 2002 under the auspices of the UN.
The goal is to adopt a framework by 2020. Key objectives for the business community include assuring that any instruments adopt risk-based approaches for chemicals management, avoiding reflexive application of precautionary principles and without creating new international bureaucracies. Protection of confidential information and intellectual property also must be assured by national and international chemical control systems.
Europe has taken another step toward a new regime governing the regulation of chemicals in the region. On November 17, the European Parliament adopted the European Commission's proposal for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH). The scheme will cover an array of chemicals, including additives, inks, and dyes. Polymers continue to enjoy an exemption under the approved proposal and intermediates are partially exempted, but the system likely will result in cost increases in some instances and the potential disappearance of ingredients in others.
Although intensive lobbying continues on the proposal, entry into force is expected to occur in 2007. This highly complex proposal will create a new regulatory system for chemical approvals in Europe, which will have enormous implications for downstream customers and users.
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