The REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008
UK Statutory Instrument 2008 No. 2852 — creates 8 criminal offences.
- Made
- 1 November 2008
- In force from
- 1 December 2008
- Extent
- Not stated
- Subject
- Food, consumer protection, trading standards, product safety and age-restricted sales
- Made under
- European Communities Act 1972
Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
These Regulations apply to the United Kingdom and provide for the enforcement of Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)(OJ No L 396, 30.12.2006, p1). Under regulation 2, the enforcing authorities are: (a) the Department of the Environment (b) the Environment Agency (c) the Health and Safety Executive (d) the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (e) a local (consumer safety) authority (f) a local (health and safety) authority (g) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and (h) the Secretary of State. Regulation 3 imposes enforcement duties on enforcing authorities to enforce those provisions of REACH listed in Schedule 1. Regulation 4 requires enforcing authorities to cooperate and share information with other bodies connected to REACH enforcement and provides for information sharing by the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs. Regulation 5 provides for agreements between enforcing authorities under which one authority may act on behalf of another authority. Regulation 6 provides for arrangements between enforcing authorities responsible for the enforcement of health and safety aspects of REACH. Regulation 7 provides for defence exemption certificates. Regulation 8 makes provision for an exemption from Article 67 of REACH for the marketing and use of leaded paint. Regulation 9 provides for the powers of enforcing authorities as set out in Schedule 6 and regulation 10 provides for those persons authorised to act as authorised persons for those authorities. Regulation 11 creates criminal offences and regulation 12 provides for penalties in respect of those offences. Further criminal offences are created under regulation 13 and penalties in respect of those offences are set out in regulation 14. Regulation 15 provides for the liability of corporate bodies. Under regulation 16 a court may require persons convicted of an offence under these Regulations to remedy those matters for which they were convicted. Under regulation 17 persons authorised by the Health and Safety Executive or the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland may, except in Scotland, prosecute an offence under these Regulations. Regulation 18 provides that no criminal proceedings for an offence under these Regulations may be instituted in England and Wales except by an enforcing authority or by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions and in Northern Ireland, except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland. Regulation 19 provides that the Crown will not be criminally liable for any contravention of these Regulations. Under regulation 20 enforcing authorities may institute civil proceedings against a person where criminal proceedings are unlikely to result in an effective remedy. Regulation 21 provides for appeals against notices issued by enforcing authorities. Regulation 22 and Schedule 9 provide for service of documents. Regulation 23 and Schedule 10, provide for revocations and amendments of enactments. Schedule 1 contains a table listing provisions of REACH which enforcing authorities must enforce. Schedule 2 sets out the functions of enforcing authorities. Schedule 3 provides for arrangements between enforcing authorities responsible for the enforcement of health and safety aspects of REACH. Schedule 4 provides for matters in connection with defence exemption certificates. Schedule 5 provides for matters in relation to leaded paint. Schedule 6 sets out the powers of enforcing authorities. Schedule 7 sets out those provisions under other enactments which enable a person to act as an authorised person of an enforcing authority under these Regulations. Schedule 8 contains provisions relating to appeals against notices issued by enforcing authorities. Schedule 9 contains provisions concerning service of documents. Schedule 10 lists enactments amended or revoked under these Regulations. A transposition note and an Impact Assessment of the effect of this instrument on the costs to business have been prepared. They may be obtained from the Chemicals and Nanotechnology team, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR and at www.defra.gov.uk. Copies have been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.
Offences created by this instrument
- Except in relation to Article 67 of REACH, it is an offence for a person to contravene a listed REACH provision or… regulation 11(1) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- On and after 1st June 2009, it is an offence for a person to contravene Article 67 of REACH or cause or permit another… regulation 11(2) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- It is an offence for a person when subject to paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 (defence exemption certificates)— a to provide… regulation 11(3) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- On and after 1st June 2009, it is an offence for a person to contravene paragraph 5(b) or 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 5… regulation 11(4) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- It is an offence for a person— a intentionally to obstruct an authorised person in the exercise or performance of the… regulation 13(1) · Status not determined · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Where an authorised person exercises the powers in Schedule 6 (powers of enforcement), it is an offence for a person—… regulation 13(2) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- It is an offence for a person to pretend to be an authorised person regulation 13(4) · Status not determined · Strict liability
- It is an offence for a person to disclose the information described in paragraph (6) where— a that person received… regulation 13(5) · Status not determined · Strict liability
What Parliament said about it
Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
- Environment Bill
Lords · Lords Chamber · 14 July 2021 · Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
My Lords, I offer our strong support to Amendment 293E in the name of my noble friend Lord Whitty. I thank my noble friend for his detailed and knowledgeable introduction, explaining why it is so important we do not have non-regression in chemicals industry regulation. Plans as to how the Government intend to regulate the UK chemicals sector following Brexit and our departure from EU REACH have been of significant concern for the UK chemicals industry for some time. This amendment would remove the possibility that a Secretary of State might lower current standards, while enabling them to…
- Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (Fourth sitting)
Commons · Public Bill Committees · 22 November 2022 · Alex Sobel (Leeds North West) (Lab/Co-op)
I beg to move amendment 74, in clause 1, page 1, line 9, at end insert— “(2A) Subsection (1) does not apply to the following instruments— (a) The REACH Regulation and the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008, (b) The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, (c) The Conservation of Offshore Marine Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, (d) The Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994, (e) The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (England) Regulations 2010, (f) The Bathing Waters Regulations 2013, (g) Water…
- Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (Third sitting)
Commons · Public Bill Committees · 22 November 2022 · Justin Madders
I apologise in advance that this discussion will last longer than that on other amendments. We accept that these amendments would fundamentally change the nature of the Bill, but they would do so in such a way as to create greater transparency and accountability and ensure that Parliament was able to properly fulfil its role in relation to the regulations. I refer to the evidence of the Bar Council, which said: “It is a matter of great public interest that, where it applies, REUL should be as certain as possible. It is also important as a matter of democratic principle—as well as ensuring…
- Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill
Commons · Commons Chamber · 18 January 2023 · Mr Speaker
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 2— Conditions for bringing sections 3, 4 and 5 into force — “(1) None of sections 3, 4 or 5 may be brought into force unless all the following conditions have been satisfied. (2) The first condition is that a Minister of the Crown has, after consulting organisations and persons representative of interests substantially affected by, or with expertise in the likely legal effect of, that section on a draft of that report, laid a report before each House of Parliament setting out, with reasons, the Minister’s view as to the…
How Parliament handled it
Parliament's Statutory Instruments service records procedure from May 2017 onwards, and this instrument predates it. That is a limit of the source, not a statement that nothing happened.
Check the source
- This instrument on legislation.gov.uk The authoritative text, including amendments made since
- Other instruments from 2008