Act and prepare for ‘no deal Brexit’ to stay on the market and keep supplies

ECHA/NR/19/30

As the deadline for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on 31 October 2019 is approaching, ECHA urges companies to act and prepare for a ‘no deal’ scenario.

Helsinki, 12 September 2019 - ECHA is reminding companies that they need to prepare for a ‘no deal’ scenario ahead of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which is to take place on 31 October 2019. As of 1 November 2019, the UK will be a "third country".

ECHA also urges downstream users located in the EU-27/EEA to act now to avoid disruptions in supply. Registrations made by UK manufacturers, importers and Only Representatives will become void if they are not transferred to EU-27/EEA before the UK withdraws from the EU.

Downstream users in the EU-27/EEA can check the ‘List of substances registered only by UK companies’ on ECHA’s website to see if they will be affected and need to take action. If they plan to get their supply from the UK after the withdrawal, they should register the substance themselves as an importer, unless an Only Representative has been appointed for that registration in the EU-27/EEA.

UK-based manufacturers and formulators that want to keep substances registered under REACH legally on the EU-27/EEA market, can either transfer their business to, or appoint an Only Representative in one of the EU-27/EEA countries.

Step-by-step instructions on how to transfer REACH registrations are available on ECHA’s web pages for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

The manual form to notify exports of PIC substances has been reactivated. This form is part of a temporary procedure that ensures that EU-27 companies, which are planning to export PIC chemicals to the UK as of 1 November 2019, can comply with their obligations to notify their exports 35 days before the expected date of import.