European Commission sketches timeline for adoption of key legislative proposals

On 29 June 2022, the European Commission published its draft agenda for the second half of 2022. The agenda contains the meetings to take place between July and December 2022. Approval of a text at a joint meeting of all Commissioners is the last step for the Commission to formally adopt it as a proposal. Therefore, the topics to be discussed in meetings are an indication of what files the EU executive is expecting to advance on.

In relation to chemicals legislation, two key proposals are mentioned in the draft agenda. First, the revision of Regulation (EC) 1272/2008, on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (the CLP Regulation) will be discussed in late October according to the schedule. Second, new rules on intentionally added microplastics will be discussed in late November.

If progress on both initiatives aligns with these timelines, negotiations between the Parliament and the Council on these two key initiatives would be an important part of the legislative agenda in 2023.

Another key piece of legislation when it comes to chemicals – the revision of Regulation (EC) 1907/2006, concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) – is not mentioned in the agenda. This could signal that it will be delayed and presented in 2023.

This would be consistent with the fact that, while all three initiatives have seen delays relative to their initial expected timelines, the CLP review and the microplastics proposal are more overdue than the REACH revision.