What is REACH?

REACH compliance is a critical requirement for companies manufacturing, importing, or distributing products in the European Union. 

In this article, we break down everything you need to know about REACH (the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) and how GoCompliance helps organizations meet their REACH compliance obligations efficiently.

What is REACH?

REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It is a European Union regulation (EC No 1907/2006) designed to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals used in products and industrial processes.

REACH was first enforced on June 1, 2007, and applies to all chemical substance, including those used in industrial processes and those found in everyday products such as electronics, textiles, furniture, toys, and more.

If your company operates in the EU, or sells products to EU customers, REACH product compliance is a legal obligation.

Who Needs to Comply with REACH?

REACH applies to:

• Manufacturers of chemicals
  
  
• Importers of substances or mixtures into the EU
  
  
• Downstream users of chemicals, including formulators and end-product suppliers
  
  
• Article producers and importers: any company that places a finished product containing a chemical substance on the EU market
  
  

Whether you are producing, packaging, or distributing a product, you may need to ensure your REACH obligations are met.

What are the Key REACH Compliance Requirements?

To comply with REACH, businesses must:

1. Register substances with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) if manufacturing or importing more than 1 tonne per year.
   
   
2. Communicate information about chemicals in the supply chain through Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
   
   
3. Notify ECHA if a product contains a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) above threshold levels.
   
   
4. Restrict or authorise use of specific substances listed in Annex XVII or XIV.
   
   
5. Maintain documentation and ensure traceability of compliance data.
   
   

This makes chemical data management and supply chain communication essential for any company involved in REACH-regulated products.

What is an SVHC?

A Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) is a chemical substance that may have serious effects on human health or the environment. These include substances that are:

• Carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR)
  
  
• Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT)
  
  
• Very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB)
  
  
• Disruptive to endocrine systems
  
  

Products containing SVHCs above 0.1% weight-by-weight must be declared in REACH notifications and reported to the SCIP database, a requirement under the EU Waste Framework Directive.

Why REACH Compliance Matters

Non-compliance with REACH can result in:

• Fines or product bans within the EU
  
  
• Reputational damage
  
  
• Lost access to key markets
  
  
• Supply chain disruption
  
  
• Regulatory audits and delays

With global supply chains and growing consumer demand for transparency, achieving and maintaining REACH compliance is vital to sustainable, risk-free market access.

How GoCompliance Simplifies REACH Compliance

Managing REACH obligations across complex supply chains can be overwhelming. That’s where GoCompliance comes in.

With our fixed pricing model, configurable rollup engine, and seamless integration for Oracle Cloud customers, GoCompliance is the all-in-one product compliance platform that your business can rely on to simplify REACH, RoHS, SCIP, and other global regulations.

Whether you need a DIY compliance solution or a fully outsourced REACH compliance service, GoCompliance adapts to your business needs.

Looking For An Agile PG&C Replacement?

GoCompliance is the best choice for companies who previously relied on Agile PG&C.

Designed to handle the complexity of modern regulations like REACH, GoCompliance enables your business to track product compliance, manage supplier data, and ensure accurate specifications and declarations with ease. 

The GoCompliance platform allows previous Agile PG&C customers to seamlessly migrate with minimal disruption, as well as being optimized for integration into existing Oracle environments. With real-time data synchronization and compatibility with Oracle PLM systems, you can leverage GoCompliance’s full functionality without disrupting your current cloud infrastructure.

Ready To Upgrade Your Business’s Compliance Processes? 

Don’t risk penalties or market access. Trust GoCompliance to help you achieve and maintain full REACH regulatory compliance with ease.

Contact us today or request a demo to see how we can support your REACH compliance journey.