Croatia’s accession to the EU: Transition periods for REACH registration

When joining the European Union on 1 July 2013, Croatian Companies have to comply with EU legislation. Therefore, specific deadlines have been set in order to have smooth and fair transition of the requirements set by e.g. the REACH regulation. According to the accession treaty (VI a), the registration obligation does apply 6 months after the accession, on 1 January 2014. In addition, Croatian companies will have a pre-registration phase from 1 July 2013 until 1 January 2014. This pre-registration applies to phase-in substances and allows companies (manufacturers or importers based in Croatia) to benefit from the extended deadlines for registration. As the first and second registration deadlines for phase-in-substances have already passed (1. December 2010 and 1 June 2013), specific deadlines are set for the new EU members for registration as well.

Companies based in Croatia now have to assess their obligations under REACH and may seek support advice from K&L for pre-registration and registration services.