UK REACH Returns with Another Consultation
- natashabennett2
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
The UK Government has initiated a new public consultation concerning transitional registration deadlines under UK REACH. This action reflects ongoing delays in the development of the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm), which was originally proposed to ease compliance burdens associated with post-Brexit chemical regulation.
🧩 Context and Background
UK REACH was established to manage chemical substance registration in Great Britain following the UK's departure from the European Union. Transitional arrangements were implemented to allow industry time to adapt, with registration deadlines originally set for October 2023, 2025, and 2027. These were subsequently extended in 2023 to October 2026, 2028, and 2030 in anticipation of ATRm rollout.
However, Defra has now confirmed that the ATRm will not be operational in time to meet the first extended registration deadline, while still allowing industry sufficient time to adapt. As a result, further adjustments to the transitional timeline have been proposed.
📊 Proposed Deadline Options
Four options are under consideration:
Option | New Timeline | Summary |
1 (Government’s Preferred Option) | 27 Oct 2029 27 Oct 2030 27 Oct 2031 | Provides a two-year transition period post-ATRm completion; introduces one-year gaps between phases |
2 | 27 Apr 2029 28 Apr 2031 27 Apr 2033 | Retains two-year gaps between phases; extends overall registration timeline |
3 | 27 Apr 2029 27 Apr 2030 27 Apr 2031 | Condenses the registration period; enables earlier completion with one-year intervals |
Do Nothing (4) | Existing deadlines remain: 27 Oct 2026 27 Oct 2028 27 Oct 2030 | Assumes ATRm readiness; Defra has confirmed this is not feasible within the current timeframe |
Option 1 is favoured by the government for providing industry with sufficient time to prepare while minimising delays in accessing safety data for substances of higher concern.
🤝Compliance Check Alignment
The consultation also includes proposals to revise compliance check deadlines under Article 41(5) of UK REACH. The current requirement mandates that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conduct checks on at least 20% of submitted dossiers. The government intends for these checks to align with whichever registration timeline is adopted, maintaining both legal consistency and regulatory effectiveness.
🗣️Stakeholder Engagement
The current consultation provides a focused opportunity for stakeholders to comment on proposed changes to the UK REACH transitional registration submission deadlines and associated compliance check timelines. While the broader implementation of the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm) remains under development, this consultation specifically seeks input on how best to adjust the regulatory timetable to ensure feasibility and legal coherence.
Make sure your organisation’s position is heard by submitting feedback no later than 8 September 2025 via one of the following channels:
Citizen Space consultation platform
Email submissions
Postal submissions
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