reacheuropeanchemicals agency

Factsheet

ECHA-14-FS-02-EN

Access to documents at ECHA- 2013 Key figures
The European Chemicals Agency(ECHA) is committed to making surethat the public has the widest-possible
access to its documents. This factsheet
looks at the main data related to theprocessing of access to documents in
the Agency during 2013.
Access to documents is an inseparable part of ourprinciple of transparency in proactively providing
data on chemicals on our website. To this effect, therelatively low number of applications for access todocuments submitted to the Agency in 2013 provides
strong evidence that we have successfully fulfilled oneof REACH’s aims – providing information on chemicals.
While we remain keen to maintain this transparency,
we must also ensure that the personal data andcommercial interests of the data owners (usuallyindustry) stays protected. Before any disclosure, wemust endeavour to strike a balance between the valuesof individuals and our principle of transparency.
In 2013, we replied to all applications within the set
time-limits. This was possible due to our cooperative
approach with applicants who accepted our proposals
to extend deadlines in the most complex cases.

2013
No. of received applications

59No. of requested documents *208

* The number of requested documents as presented in the request

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN 2013
Throughout the year, we received 59 initial
application requests, amounting to 208 documents.
On top of this, we also received three confirmatory
applications. No complaints were lodged to theOmbudsman or to the Court of Justice of theEuropean Union against our decisions on access todocuments.
Most of the applications requested access todocuments relating to the main REACH processes
like registration (e.g. data sharing disputedocuments, CSRs); evaluation (e.g. statements ofnon-compliance, testing proposals comments); andauthorisation. We also received the first application
relating to the Biocidal Products Regulation.
With regard to the applicants, 16 requests weresubmitted by NGOs, while law firms, industry andindividuals each put forward 12 applications.
Four applications came from academics and theremaining three applications were lodged by media.

annankatu 18 , p.o. box 400, fi - 00121 helsinki, finland | echa.europa.eu

DECISION-MAKING
In 2013, we answered to 54 initial applications,which amounted to 353 documents. These numbers
include three initial applications received in 2012
and answered in 2013 and exclude seven pending
applications received in 2013, which will be reviewed
in 2014.
We answered all of the initial applications within theprescribed time-limits. The initial deadline meansthat a reply needs to be sent within 15 working days.
Applications answered within the extended deadline
had a reply sent within 30 working days. Usually,
we extend the deadline if there are pending thirdparty consultations or if there is a large amount ofrequested documents. The final figure shows thoserequests for which we negotiated an extension
above the 30-working day time-limit.

Profile of the applicants in 2013
20

16

15

12

10

4Academics

Individuals

Industry

Law firms

MediaNGOs

Outcome of the applications per document

79

Information on chemicals
http://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals

»»125

147

Full disclosure

Partial disclosure

RefusalOutcome of the applications per page
Full disclosure

2 487

Partial disclosure

1 941

Refusal

1 061

FURTHER READING
Access to documents Regulation
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.
do?uri=OJ:L:2001:145:0043:0048:EN:PDF»»Decision implementing access to documents
Regulation in ECHA
http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13604/mb_12_2008_final_
implementing_rules_access_to_documents_en.pdf»»Timing of the provided replies
Applications answered within the initialdeadline

47

Applications answered within the extended
deadline

3

Applications answered within longer
deadline following negotiations

4

annankatu 18 , p.o. box 400, fi - 00121 helsinki, finland | echa.europa.eu

ECHA-14-FS-02-EN - ED-AM-14-001-EN-N - ISBN: 978-92-9244-465-5 -1 ISNN: 2362-9932 - DOI: 10.2823/90877»»30In 2013, the most applied reasons, triggering either
the documents to only be partially disclosed or therequests to be refused, have been the protectionof commercial interests and intellectual property,
and the protection of privacy and integrity of theindividual.

Webform on ECHA’s website
http://echa.europa.eu/access-to-documentsweb-form

125

Out of 353 requested documents, 126 were fully
disclosed, 148 partially disclosed and 79 refused.

IMPORTANT LINKS

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