What Is REACH Regulation?
Also known as: REACH, EC 1907/2006, REACH compliance, SVHC
Definition
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is EU Regulation EC 1907/2006. It requires companies to register chemical substances, communicate hazards down the supply chain and disclose Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in articles above 0.1% by weight.
REACH Regulation Explained
REACH applies to substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles, which means a manufacturer of machined parts, cables or electronics can be affected even if it never handles bulk chemicals. Manufacturers and importers register substances above one tonne per year with ECHA, while downstream users and article producers carry duties around communication and restricted uses.
The duty most manufacturers meet daily concerns the SVHC Candidate List, which ECHA updates roughly twice a year. If an article contains a Candidate List substance above 0.1% weight by weight, the supplier must give recipients enough information for safe use, and must answer consumer requests within 45 days under Article 33. Since the Waste Framework Directive notifications, such articles must also be reported to ECHA's SCIP database. Annex XVII lists restrictions and Annex XIV lists substances needing authorisation.
The ERP problem is mapping: a finished good contains many components, each from a supplier who may or may not have a declaration. Practical setups store a REACH status on the item or approved manufacturer record, attach the supplier declaration as a document, and use the multi-level BOM to roll up which finished goods contain an affected component when the Candidate List changes. SAP offers a product compliance solution for this; in SyteLine, Infor LN or NetSuite, teams commonly use user-defined fields plus a BOM where-used query.
REACH is a legal regime, not a certification. Netray does not hold any REACH status for its customers. Software only helps the customer keep supplier data and BOM relationships organized so the legal answer can be produced on time.
Why It Matters
- Selling into the EU without SVHC visibility can block shipments or trigger customer audits and penalties set by member states.
- Customers in aerospace, automotive and electronics routinely send REACH questionnaires, so slow answers cost orders.
- Candidate List updates require a fast where-used analysis across every active BOM level.
- Supplier declarations expire or go stale, so the status must be tracked per item, not in a spreadsheet.
In Practice
ECHA adds a new substance to the Candidate List. A cable assembler runs a where-used query on the 40 purchased wire and connector items whose supplier declarations list the substance as present or unknown. The query shows 6 finished-good families affected, the team requests updated declarations, and the Article 33 response to the customer is ready inside the 45-day window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between REACH and RoHS?
RoHS restricts specific hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. REACH is broader, covering registration, SVHC disclosure, restrictions and authorisation for chemicals across industries.
What is the 0.1% rule in REACH?
If an article contains a Candidate List substance above 0.1% weight by weight, the supplier must pass safe-use information to customers and give it to consumers on request.
Does REACH apply to companies outside the EU?
Non-EU manufacturers are affected when they export to the EU, usually through importer obligations and customer requirements, or via an Only Representative for registration.
Related Terms
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
RoHS is the EU Directive 2011/65/EU restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. It limits lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE and four phthalates to set concentration limits per homogeneous material.
BOM (Bill of Materials)
A BOM (bill of materials) is the structured, hierarchical list of components, sub-assemblies, and quantities required to produce one unit of a parent item, and it is the primary input MRP explodes to calculate material requirements.
Traceability
Traceability is the ability to follow the history, location, and application of a part or material through the supply chain and production process, both backward to its sources and forward to every product and customer it reached.
Conflict Minerals (Dodd-Frank Section 1502)
Conflict minerals are tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG) that may finance armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries. Under Dodd-Frank Section 1502, SEC-reporting companies using them must perform due diligence and file Form SD annually.
ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is the international standard for an environmental management system (EMS). Organizations use it to identify environmental aspects, meet legal obligations, set objectives and improve performance. The current edition is ISO 14001:2015, and certification is by third-party audit.
Working with REACH Regulation in a live environment? Our engineers do this every day - and our AI agents automate most of it.