Aims of REACH

The main aim of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment whilst maintaining the competitiveness and enhancing the innovative capability of the EU chemicals industry.

REACH has seven objectives within the overall framework of sustainable development:

• Protection of human health and the environment  
• Maintenance and enhancement of the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry  
• Prevention of fragmentation of the internal market  
• Increased transparency
• Integration with international efforts
• Promotion of non-animal testing 
• Conformity with EU international obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

The challenge for all those involved in formulating and developing REACH has been to achieve the right balance between these potentially competing objectives.