9/11/2005.

Germany has formally asked Britain, as current EU president, to delay a vote on a controversial bill requiring registration and safety data on chemicals in the EU. The vote on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation had been scheduled for a meeting of EU competitiveness ministers on Nov. 28 and 29.

Germany is said to have asked for the delay because its new government has not had time to study the issue, which is extremely sensitive for the country's large chemical industry. If Britain accepts a delay when EU ambassadors meet this Friday, REACH would probably not be agreed before the end of this year. Environmentalists have urged all the member states to keep to the original date. Under the new rules, chemical makers would have to register the properties of substances with a central EU database. The aim is to protect European consumers from harmful effects of chemicals about which little is known.

Source: EuroNews