Britain delays EU chemicals bill

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Britain, which currently holds the EU
presidency, has accepted a German request to delay a decision
on a new European Union law to test and register thousands of
chemicals, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

A decision between member states on a draft of the REACH
(Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) bill
had been planned for a meeting of EU competitiveness ministers
on November 28 and 29.

“Germany asked for a postponement and we have accepted
their request,” a British spokeswoman told Reuters, adding
Britain still hoped to reach a deal “as soon as possible.”

She said Britain could call another meeting of ministers to
reach the agreement before the end of the year, but said no
decision on a date had been made.

Germany, which has Europe’s biggest chemicals industry, had
told EU partners its new government would barely have taken
office and would not be in a position to decide on the bill
under the original timetable.