From the Sector

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) takes on new responsibilities under the EU's One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA) Package. 

Working closely with other EU agencies and authorities, ECHA will lead efforts to build a common data platform on chemicals, streamline assessments, and strengthen collaboration to better protect human health and the environment.

The Agency is committed to driving this initiative forward and will deliver its new responsibilities with transparency and efficiency.

Dr Sharon McGuinness, ECHA’s Executive Director said:
"The OSOA package represents a significant step towards a more efficient chemical safety system in Europe. By joining forces with our partner agencies and authorities, we will create a system that anticipates risks, and brings together existing knowledge, and supports innovation.  

Our shared goal is clear: a safer, more sustainable Europe through collaboration and science-based action.’’  

Under this legislation, ECHA is entrusted with significant new tasks, reinforcing its role in delivering coherent, predictable, and transparent chemical assessments. These changes will enhance efficiency and improve consistency across EU chemical legislation.

Building a common data platform on chemicals 
The OSOA package also introduces the Regulation on common data platform and monitoring and outlook framework for chemicals. 

ECHA will manage this platform in close collaboration with other EU bodies – including the European Environment Agency (EEA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) under the governance scheme and implementation plan adopted by the European Commission. 

The platform will integrate information from multiple sources and provide services such as: 

• Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring;
• Repository of reference values;
• Study notifications database; and
• Databases on standard formats and controlled vocabularies, regulatory processes, legal obligations, chemicals in articles or products, alternatives to substances of concern, and environmental sustainability-related data.

This will create a one-stop-shop for chemicals data, improving transparency and accessibility for regulators, industry, and the public.

New tasks for ECHA
Beyond the data platform, ECHA will:

• Develop a monitoring and outlook framework;
• Support early warning and risk identification;
• Generate new data when needed; and
• Promote the use of scientific research to strengthen chemical safety.

ECHA will also take on scientific and regulatory responsibilities previously managed by other bodies, including:

• Preparing restriction proposals under the RoHS Directive (hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment), and processing exemption requests;
• Setting and reviewing limit values for persistent organic pollutants in waste under the POPs Regulation; and
• Updating guidelines on how to perform the benefit-risk assessment of the presence of certain hazardous substances in medical devices under the Medical Devices Regulation.