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#  *Federal Institute for Occupational* 

*Safety and Health*

Date

23.05.2007

**Subject: Follow-up Doc. CWG/09/2007 REACH Helpdesk communication
activities -- Germany**

At the last CWG Meeting 12/13 March 2007 the Commission invited the
Member States to report about their helpdesk activities. In Germany, the
national REACH helpdesk, as foreseen in article 124 of the regulation
(EC) No 1907/2006 has been located at the Federal Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (BAUA) in collaboration with the Federal
Environmental Agency (UBA), the Federal Institute for risk assessment
(BfR) and the Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM).

The REACH helpdesk activities can be divided into two different
approaches:

-   proactive support, and

-   support on request.

**Proactive support**

The goal of the proactive activities is to provide an easy access to
general information on REACH for all interested groups. It comprises the
following features:

## [Dedicated internet portal:]{.underline} [***www.reach-helpdesk.de***](http://www.reach-helpdesk.de/)

Already available information:

-   Interactive decision tree concerning obligations for the different
    actors under REACH

-   Guidance on specific themes like pre-registration and obligations
    for downstream users, and naming of substances

-   Information on REACH workshops

-   Catalogue of questions and answers extracted from a knowledge data
    base

-   Contact data for individual REACH assistance (phone, email, fax,
    postal address)

-   Links to other German authorities concerned with REACH

-   Download of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (German version, pdf)

-   Download of REACH brochure Info 1 (pdf)

-   Download of translated questionnaire of the Commission concerning
    REACH (German, pdf)

It is planned to update and enlarge the information continuously.

## [Development of brochures (REACH Info) and flyers]{.underline}

-   In 2006 a leaflet „REACH-Helpdesk Die Auskunfststelle des Bundes zur
    europäischen Chemikalienverordnung" was published with information
    on REACH helpdesk activities at the BAuA including all relevant
    contact data.

-   In March 2007 the first information brochure "Erste Schritte unter
    der neuen EU-Verordnung REACH" (First steps under the new EU
    regulation REACH) was published.

-   A second brochure concerning registration of intermediates and
    notification of substances for product and process orientated
    research and development is currently in press (release is scheduled
    for June 2007).

-   The third brochure dealing with polymers is in progress.

The brochure is available in paper and electronically as download from
the REACH helpdesk internet platform. The brochure in paper is
distributed via a mailing to companies which e. g. participated in REACH
workshops, on seminars and workshops, and on request of companies.

## [Organisation of workshops and conferences]{.underline}

In 2006:

-   September, 18^th^ in Dortmund: „REACH anpacken -- Arbeitsschutz und
    Helpdesk" (Tackle REACH -- Occupational safety and Helpdesk); with
    about 300 participants from industry and authorities.

-   November, 13^th^ in Dortmund: „Benennung und Identifizierung von
    Stoffen unter REACH" (Naming and identification of substances under
    REACH); with about 150 participants from industry, especially from
    SMEs.

In 2007:

-   June, 21st in Bonn: \"Das \'R\' in REACH - wer hat was und wann zu
    erfüllen?\" (The ‚R' in REACH -- who has to fulfil what and when?);
    with about 250 participants especially from SME (registration is
    already closed)

-   Further planning: workshop on IUCLID5 for second half of the year

## [Lectures on industry organised workshops and seminars]{.underline} 

Staff members of the REACH helpdesk gave and will give talks on numerous
events organised by the chambers of Industrie & Commerce (Industrie- und
Handelskammern). All presentations deal in principle with the activities
of the REACH helpdesk, overview on the priciples of REACH, and also
specific topics, like registration or the naming of substances.

**Support on request**

In addition to the proactive support it is necessary to assist companies
on their individual questions and problems. Within the German helpdesk
this is assured through direct consultation on three different levels.

(1) [Answering questions directly incoming via phone]{.underline}

A service phone number (+49 180 324 3643) was installed which is
occupied from each Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm. Basic
questions incoming via this phone number are answered directly. If a
direct answer is not possible the question is sent to the experts via
<reach-info@baua.bund.de> in written form.

(2) [Answering questions through different experts]{.underline}

All question incoming via phone (see above), email and fax are answered
by a team of experts at the BAuA in collaboration with other responsible
German authorities.

The REACH Helpdesk started its work in September 2006. Until the end of
April 2006 we received about 550 requests with an average of two to
three different questions.

(3) [Individual consultations of companies]{.underline}

Individual consultation of companies and associations treating special
topics like differentiation from other legislation, exceptions from
registration duties, steel works and smelter are carried out at the BAuA
in Dortmund.

Contact information national REACH helpdesk Germany:

Internet: [www.reach-helpdesk.de](http://www.reach-helpdesk.de/)

Phone: +49 180 324 3643 (9 cent/minute on the Deutsche Telekom's fixed
network)

FAX: +49 180 324 3644 (9 cent/minute on the Deutsche Telekom's fixed
network)

e-mail : <reach-info@baua.bund.de>

Enclosed

-   Brochure "Erste Schritte unter der neuen EU-Verordnung REACH" (pdf)

-   Leaflet „REACH-Helpdesk Die Auskunfststelle des Bundes zur
    europäischen Chemikalienverordnung" (pdf)