Eva Monard, Hannah Widemann, Elli Zachari

Zeitschrift für Stoffrecht, Volume 19 (2022), Issue 4, Page 219 - 228

The EU’s sanctions adopted in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are in numerous ways unprecedented, especially considering the close economic ties that previously existed between the EU and Russia. The sanctions packages have therefore largely separated the two economies (as they intended to do) and thereby severely affected businesses and supply chains in and outside of Europe. While most multinationals are well aware of the impact on trade and have set up advanced compliance systems to ensure no prohibited trade in goods and provision of services takes place, there appears to be less awareness of the impact of the EU’s sanctions on operators’ compliance with EU chemical legislation. However, the sanctions also impact the obligations under the EU’s chemicals regulations, most notably on mandatory sharing of (vertebrate) animal studies but also related to the joint submission of registrations. This contribution hence examines the interplay between the respective obligations under the EU’s sanctions regime and the EU’s chemicals regulations, to allow operators to asses and determine their compliance strategies. While the contribution focuses on the interaction with the Russia sanctions, the same comments would apply generally to other sanctions imposed by the EU.

Hannah Widemann

Zeitschrift für Stoffrecht, Volume 18 (2021), Issue 1, Page 9 - 12

Der jahrelange Prozess des Austrittes des Vereinigten Königreichs (VK) aus der Europäischen Union (EU) ist seit Anfang des Jahres abgeschlossen. Das VK ist seit dem 31. Januar 2021 nicht nur kein Mitgliedstaat der EU mehr, es wird seit dem Ende der im Austrittsabkommen festgelegten Übergangsfrist, d. h. seit dem 1. Januar 2021, auch nicht mehr als solches anerkannt, und EU-Recht findet keine Anwendung mehr. Die Auswirkungen zeigen sich in Lieferengpässen, leeren Supermarktregalen und der Konfiszierung des Proviants von LKW-Fahrern. Für die Chemieindustrie bedeutet dies, dass seit dem 1. Januar 2021 Chemikalien, die in Großbritannien (GB) hergestellt oder auf den Markt gebracht werden, neuen, von der EU getrennten Regulierungen unterliegen.

Hannah Widemann

Zeitschrift für Stoffrecht, Volume 18 (2021), Issue 4, Page 177 - 178

Hannah Widemann, Darren Abrahams

Zeitschrift für Stoffrecht, Volume 17 (2020), Issue 2, Page 50 - 61

Regulatory data submitted to EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies is – depending on the nature of such information – subject to a myriad of different transparency regimes. These regimes determine rules on disclosure following access requests, the possibilities to object to such disclosure as well as the (scope of) active dissemination of such information.

Hannah Widemann, Eléonore Mullier, Darren Abrahams

Zeitschrift für Stoffrecht, Volume 15 (2018), Issue 5, Page 194 - 202

The exact effects of Brexit will depend to a large extent on the existence and content of a ratified withdrawal agreement. At the time of writing it is uncertain whether such an agreement can be signed and ratified before the date of withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Preparation for a UK withdrawal, without such agreement, is therefore underway in both the EU-27 and the UK. One thing is certain: even if an agreement is reached, the UK will eventually lose its status as an EU ‘Member State’. This, in itself, has far reaching implications for the biocides sector and companies should act now to mitigate the risk of market disruption.