The Czech delegation has formally raised concerns about the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) capacity, budget, and expertise to handle the additional workload under the EU's 'One Substance, One Assessment' (OSOA) policy, according to a Council contribution dated 2 October 2026. The document, submitted ahead of discussions on three Commission regulations (2023/0453-0455 COD), proposes more flexible provisions allowing ECHA to prepare opinions without always requiring formal committee input and calls for amendments to ensure adequate committee resources and remuneration.
OSOA aims to streamline chemical safety assessments
The OSOA package, proposed by the European Commission in December 2023, seeks to harmonise safety assessments of chemicals across different EU legislation by re-attributing scientific tasks primarily to ECHA and improving inter-agency cooperation with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the European Environment Agency (EEA). The goal is to avoid divergent scientific opinions and establish clearer procedures for data exchange and resolving assessment disagreements.
Czech concerns focus on ECHA's capacity and budget
The Czech contribution, submitted to the Council's Working Party on Technical Questions on Chemicals, argues that ECHA may lack the necessary expertise and financial resources to absorb the new tasks effectively. The delegation proposes that ECHA should be allowed to prepare opinions without always convening formal committees, which would reduce administrative burden. It also calls for amendments to guarantee adequate committee resources and remuneration for experts, warning that underfunding could compromise the quality and timeliness of assessments.
Trade-offs: efficiency vs. oversight
The Czech position highlights a tension between streamlining processes and maintaining robust scientific oversight. On one hand, more flexible procedures could accelerate chemical assessments and reduce costs for industry and regulators. On the other hand, reducing formal committee input may weaken stakeholder scrutiny and the scientific rigour of opinions, potentially affecting public health and environmental protection. The proposal also raises questions about the distribution of resources between ECHA and other agencies, as well as the balance between EU-level harmonisation and national expertise.
Impact on stakeholders
- ECHA: Would face increased workload and responsibility, but with potential flexibility to operate more efficiently. Budgetary constraints could strain its capacity.
- EU chemical industry: Could benefit from faster, more predictable assessments, but may face higher fees if ECHA's costs rise.
- National authorities: May see reduced involvement in scientific assessments, potentially limiting their influence on chemical safety decisions.
- Consumer and environmental NGOs: Might worry that streamlined procedures could reduce transparency and public participation in safety evaluations.
Next steps
The Council will continue examining the three legislative proposals, with the Czech contribution likely to spark debate among member states on resource allocation and procedural flexibility. The European Parliament is also expected to weigh in on the OSOA package, with negotiations on the final text anticipated in 2027.