The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has released a statement welcoming long-awaited movement on the UK REACH Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm), following the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) response to the 2024 consultation.
However, the industry body is cautioning that substantial challenges remain ahead of implementation.
The announcement marks a notable step forward after years of delay for UK chemical businesses navigating post-Brexit regulatory requirements.
DEFRA has confirmed that transitional registrations will require less information than full registrations and has decided against introducing additional use and exposure requirements — positions the CBA said it has consistently advocated since DEFRA first signalled the need for a new model in December 2021.
The association also noted DEFRA's intention to use EU regulatory decisions as a starting point for UK REACH, which could reduce duplication and ease the burden on UK chemical supply chains. However, the CBA raised concerns about whether this approach justifies the government independently holding data at additional cost.
Tim Doggett, CEO of the CBA, said progress had been "painfully and woefully slow," welcoming the movement while stressing that serious issues persist.
"Prior to Brexit, industry had already paid [more than] half a billion pounds to access EU REACH."
"While the costs now envisaged may be lower than those set out in DEFRA's original UK REACH Impact Assessment – which were estimated at between £1.3 and £3.5 billion – it will still represent a significant burden, likely running into hundreds of millions at a time when businesses are already under intense economic pressures."
There is also still a lack of clarity on how this will work in practice, with real questions as to whether the proposed registration deadlines of 2029, 2030 and 2031 — already pushed back several times — are achievable.
"Maintaining momentum and continued engagement with industry will be critical to ensuring the system is both effective and deliverable."
"If this becomes nothing more than a sticking plaster over the original UK REACH model, it will not address the underlying issues."
The reality is that Brexit did not fully consider the practical implications for business and UK REACH remains a clear example of that.
The CBA reiterated its position that UK REACH must protect human health and the environment while remaining proportionate, cost-effective and supportive of trade, innovation and growth across the UK chemical supply chain.
The association said it will continue working closely with government, regulators and industry stakeholders to secure a pragmatic and competitive outcome for UK chemistry.