ADCR Consortium News

UK Defra ADCR decisions published

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:10:18 GMT

On 19 January 2026 Defra granted Decisions for the three initial applications (AFA059, AFA061 and AFA063) which we published as news on 3 February.

The granted review period for these three applications is 12 years. The Decisions are available on Authorisation decisions: UK REACH - GOV.UK .

The Defra Decision come with a series of conditions that users of chromates should be fulfilling and these measures will apply from the 19 August 2026.

To support the sharing of these GB obligations the ADCR Service Team prepared Formal Communication Letters that were shared with the Authorisation Holders for disseminating to their downstream users.

These ADCR formal Communication letters have now been added to ADCR Guidance and Support , the letters set out the Authorisation conditions and monitoring arrangements as well for existing stock and REACH Article 66 obligations.

For the four review report applications AFA058, AFA060, AFA062 and AFA064, Defra is expecting to make their decisions later in March 2026. As these applications are all review reports the use can continue until Defra makes its decision.

The ADCR Service Team will update guidance documents on the ADCR website to cover the obligations of the Defra ADCR Authorisation decisions. The guidance is intended for Downstream Users of soluble chromates in GB. ADCR will also hold a webinar later in spring 2026 (April/May) to present the UK decisions and conditions.

Defra grants 12-year review periods for ADCR applications in UK

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:07:37 GMT

On 19 January 2026, Defra made three decisions on new applications for authorisation submitted by ADCR in July 2024. These three decisions are the first Defra decisions on the UK tranche 2 applications from ADCR. The decisions have been sent to the applicants, and are expected to be published by the UK Government in the near future ( Authorisation decisions: UK REACH - GOV.UK ). Once the public links are available, ADCR will provide additional updates.

The final four Defra decisions on submitted ADCR Review Reports in the UK are expected no later than March 2026.

ECHA suspends processing chromates applications

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:04:45 GMT

In January 2026 ECHA communicated to ADCR that they will suspend processing of the Review Reports ADCR submitted to ECHA in 2024 (see table of Tranche 2 submissions on ADCR and Chromates Reauthorisation). ADCR Tranche 2 Review Reports covered three substances and four uses. The reason for ECHA’s suspension is directly related to the ongoing restriction process of Cr(VI) substances under REACH.

For all Review Reports submitted by ADCR, the use can continue under transitional measures according to REACH Article 61.1 , until the future Cr(VI) restriction enters into force, or until the European Commission makes a different decision.

ADCR Guidance Webinar slides and Guidance

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:09:27 GMT

On 22 May 2025, ADCR held a public Guidance Webinar where the recently published ADCR Guidance documents on authorisation decisions in EEA and GB, the monitoring template and guidance and Exposures Scenarios were presented. The webinar also provided a short overview of the recent (29 April) ECHA Chromates (VI) Restriction proposal. The slides (and shortly the recording) for the webinar are published under Webinars.

The guidance documents and templates are found under ADCR Guidance and Support .

ADCR publish EEA and GB Guidance documents and monitoring template

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:31:14 GMT

ADCR have today published EEA Guidance and GB Guidance as well as a Monitoring Template for surface treatments, including the ADCR instructions for the monitoring template. These ADCR supporting documents are available on the ADCR Guidance and Support Page .

ADCR will host a public webinar on Thursday 22 May 2025 where these documents and relevant developments will be presented. Please register to the webinar no later than 21 May.

ADCR publish webinar recording and other updates

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:39:27 GMT

ADCR has published the recording from the Q&A Webinar held 27 March 2025, the presentation and a short notes on the questions received, with answers provided. Go to Webinar to view the recording and the documents.

We have also published the presentation of the Overview Recording, of 6 March, see ADCR Guidance and Suppor t and ADCR Recordings.

In the ADCR Guidance and Support page, we have also updated the ADCR Flowchart ADCR applicant changes flow diagram - GB T1 submissions 25032025 with all the UK REACH Authorisation numbers (from Defra Decisions of 24 February).

Lastly, in ADCR Guidance and Support we have provided a useful link to UK HSE advice on Local Exhaust Ventilation .

ADCR updates Summary Status Table of Applications and FAQ document

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:06:41 GMT

ADCR has today, 26 March 2025, updated its ‘ Summary of ADCR applications submitted in EU and GB and decisions status ’ as well as the ADCR FAQ document . The summary is found in https://www.adcr-consortium.eu/granted-adcr-authorisations and the FAQ in https://www.adcr-consortium.eu/adcr-guidance-and-support

ADCR publish Exposure Scenarios for five chromates

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:14:00 GMT

ADCR has developed five Exposure Scenarios (ES) to be placed as annex of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for Chromium Trioxide (CT), Dichromium Tris(Chromate) (DtC), Potassium Dichromate (PD), Sodium Chromate (SC) and Sodium Dichromate (SD).

The five ES are found in ADCR Guidance and Support

ADCR provides more guidance as recordings and flow charts

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 10:55:56 GMT

ADCR has today published two recordings, Overview of obligations in EC implementing Decisions for ADCR Authorisations and ADCR - How to execute at a site | Ensure compliance with granted ADCR Authorisations on YouTube.

The overview recording, provides information on the granted EC ADCR Authorisations, and walks through the implementing decisions in high level detail and t he second recording, presents two guidance flow charts for ensuring compliance with the required conditions of the ADCR EU REACH Authorisations and the guidance flow chart on feasibility studies.

The recordings and flow charts are found in ADCR Guidance and Support .

To support the recordings and the guidance flow charts, ADCR invite interested stakeholder to a public Q&A Webinar on 27 March, 2025. More information and how to register .

All EC Decisions for ADCR 12-year authorisations published

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 12:55:57 GMT

On Monday 27 January 2025, the European Commission’s implementing decisions for 18 ADCR decisions were published in the Official Journal (as summaries) and made available at the European Commission’s REACH Authorisation website .

In connection to this the ADCR Consortium have updated the ADCR Communication ‘ Summary of ADCR applications submitted in EU and GB and decisions status ’ (version 11 February 2025) where all available REACH Authorisation numbers are provided as well as the decision date, the expiry date and link to the implementing decisions, Official Journal summary and the Exposure Scenarios found in the Chemical Safety Report (CSR).

All interested parties and downstream users are invited to use the provided information and regularly visit the ADCR website for the latest news and updates.

We encourage downstream users, if not already done, to sign up to the ADCR Contact Network to receive the latest information ADCR contact network.

December 2024 ADCR Updates

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:43:43 GMT

December updates from ADCR

In December ADCR published several updates

5 December Chromates EU Post Decision Webinar

Slides, recording and note are published.

10 December Flow Chart Diagram for EU

We have updated the Guidance Flow Chart for the ADCR Authorisation Applications with all known REACH Authorisation numbers for EU. The current version is v3 of December 2024

19 December Chromates UK Post Decision Webinar

Slides and recording are published

ADCR Updates 23 October 2024

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:04:42 GMT

Positive vote on the remaining ADCR dossiers in EU

At the REACH Committee meeting 21 to 22 October ( Comitology Register (europa.eu) ) the European Commission and Member States voted to grant authorisation to the remaining 18 ADCR dossiers.

The draft decisions the committee voted upon are found on the link above. Note that the authorisations will be valid from the date of their decisions, which will be indicated in the Summary of authorisation decisions to be published in the Official Journal of the EU. In parallel, the full final decisions will be made publicly available and accessible from the Authorisation Decisions List .

The publication is expected to take between four to six weeks, and the ADCR Service Team will provide information when the summaries and decisions are published.

Updated version of ADCR Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB table (v 21 October)

Today, 23 October, 2024, we provide the following updates:

ADCR Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB table (v October 2024)

This table updates the previous September table with Authorisation Numbers (where already available).

ADCR Contact Network Survey

The Aerospace and Defence Chromates Re-Authorisation (ADCR) consortium intends to facilitate the exchange of relevant information between authorisation holders and downstream users of the aerospace and defence industry and its supply chains for the use of chromates.

With this ADCR Contact Network Survey, the ADCR Service Team aims to identify ADCR downstream users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Great Britain (GB) in order to establish a contact network. This will enable the ADCR Service Team to contact downstream users directly to provide assistance with the requirements and conditions of the chromate authorisations (e.g. guidance, webinars, templates). Likewise, the contact network will simplify the communication of downstream users with the ADCR consortium. Close cooperation between downstream users and the ADCR consortium will ensure that your site has all required knowledge to be compliant with the ADCR authorisations.

The seamless continued use of chromates in the aerospace and defence industry is in the interest of all members of the supply chain. We therefore ask for your support in achieving this goal by participating in the survey and joining the contact network.

Please complete this survey – separately for each site operating in the EEA or in GB.

The information provided will be used solely for the purposes of supporting imposed obligations of the Authorisation Decisions in EU and UK (GB).

ADCR Updates 1 October 2024

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:07:44 GMT

As decisions are being published from authorities in EU and in UK (GB), the ADCR Consortium are regularly updating relevant documents.

Today, 1 October, 2024, we provide the following updates:

ADCR Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB table (v September 2024)

This table updates the previous table with Authorisation Numbers (where already available).

ADCR Business Continuity Check Spread Sheet for EU

Spread sheet for EU (version September 2024)

We expect EU to make decisions for additional ADCR dossiers at the REACH Committee meeting scheduled for 21 to 22 October. Once decisions are known, the ADCR Consortium will update relevant documents again.

The documents made available by ADCR Consortium may be used to help assess business impacts, due to changes in Authorisations. These do not constitute legal guidance and organisations should make their own assessments and consult their own legal experts.

ADCR Updates 23 September 2024

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 14:10:55 GMT

EU update

On Friday 20 September the three first ADCR Authorisation Decisions received a positive vote by the REACH Committee by qualified majority.

The three ADCR dossiers are for three substances; chromium trioxide, sodium dichromate and potassium dichromate, for use in the aerospace and defence industry and its supply chains.

The review periods for all three adopted decision are 12 years from the submission date, and the authorised uses are for chemical conversion coating, passivation of non-aluminium metallic coatings and passivation of stainless steel.

The adopted implementing decisions includes a retroactive measure, aimed at covering the legal gap for uses of potassium dichromate and sodium dichromate for which the uses are authorised as of 22 September 2024.

The final decisions (to our understanding, will be similar to the draft decisions ) will be shared in the comitology register as soon as possible, and is expected to still take around four to five weeks.

UK update

On 23 September UK Government published 11 ADCR Authorising Decisions, adopted on 5 September, for dossiers that ADCR submitted under UK REACH Authorisation decisions: UK REACH - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .

ADCR Factual Communication on ADCR Dossiers

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:16:33 GMT

Concise information on submitted ADCR dossiers

ADCR has developed a concise document presenting the main aspects of the 21 Dossiers submitted in EU and UK.

The Factual Communication summarises the content of the dossiers, and provides information on the Chemical Safety Report, Analysis of Alternatives, research/substitution plans and the Socioeconomic analysis.

Key facts are provided in bullet points and the timeline of upcoming authorisation decisions is provided.

Authorisations are needed to ensure the continued availability and operation of A&D products in the EEA, since Cr(VI) is still required for manufacture, maintenance, repair and overhaul across the sector. Viable alternatives for every impacted part and process, where Cr(VI) is currently necessary, are not yet available, despite ongoing efforts.

ADCR Factual Communication (pdf, 16 July 2024)

ADCR - Chromate Authorisation Provisions in EU and UK (GB)

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:17:40 GMT

ADCR update on chromate authorisation provisions in EU and UK (GB)

The Aerospace and Defence Chromates Reauthorisation (ADCR) Consortium today provided updated information with regard to chromate authorisation provisions in EU and UK (GB). The full information is available on the main page of the ADCR Consortium website ( https://www.adcr-consortium.eu/ ) and includes summary table of authorisations submitted in EU and UK, and supportive flow charts and spreadsheets.

ADCR Update 15 May 2024

Wed, 15 May 2024 14:23:33 GMT

Status in EU

On 15 May 2024, ECHA provided draft opinions for authorisation review reports (ARR) and new applications for authorisation (AfA) that were submitted by the Aerospace and Defence Chromates Reauthorisation (ADCR) Consortium in 2022 and 2023.

The recommended authorisation review periods for all the 21 draft opinions are for 12 years. ADCR is currently in the process of reviewing the draft opinions and continues to work with ECHA and the European Commission (EC) for adoption of final decisions on all new AfAs and ARRs before expiry of the existing review period on 21 September 2024.

Regarding the ADCR Authorisation application status related to continued chromate use, the following 3 scenarios apply:

1. ADCR Authorisation review reports

As ADCR submitted the ARRs prior to the latest application date, chromates associated with these ARRs are covered by transitional provisions and may continue to be used under the existing Authorisations originally submitted by ‘Global Chromated Consortium for Aerospace Consortium’ (GCCA) and ‘Chromium VI Compounds for Surface Treatment REACH Authorization Consortium’ (CCST) until a decision is taken by EC on the ARRs.

2. ADCR review reports treated as new applications (associated to CTAC Authorisations)

In April 2023, the European Court of Justice annulled the Authorisation obtained by the Chromium Trioxide Authorisation Consortium (CTAC) for the uses of chromium trioxide (Case C-144/21)( also referred to as the Chemservice decision).

ADCR originally submitted chromium trioxide review reports associated to some of the CTAC Authorisations, however in light of the annulment, these now have the status as new applications for authorisation. Those uses previously authorised under CTAC (REACH/20/18/0-6, REACH/20/18/7-13, and REACH/20/18/14-20) may continue under AfA 0032-01, 0032-02, and 0032-04 until a new decision is taken by the European Commission on these AfAs.

3. ADCR new Applications for Authorisation

Use of chromates under the new AfAs submitted by ADCR cannot begin until decisions are granted by the European Commission.

For all uses applied for by ADCR, there are applications falling into scenario 1 or 2 above. As such there are routes for continued chromate supply for ADCR applied-for uses, from relevant applicant(s), under those scenarios. See the table ‘Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB’ below for information on which ADCR applications are new AfA or ARR .

Status in Great Britain (GB) (UK REACH)

The UK HSE has provided final opinions for all new AfAs and many of the ARRs, where UK HSE also supports 12-year review periods for all opinions. The final opinions for the remaining ARRs are expected by August 2024. It is expected that publication of the authorisation decisions of new AfAs and ARRs will be prior to expiry of the existing review period on 21 September 2024. These applications are summarised in Table 2 in ‘Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB’ below.

Uses covered by ARRs are covered by the transitional measures within Article 61(1) of UK REACH and may continue to be used under the grandfathered Authorisations beyond 21 September 2024 until such a time as a decision is published on the submitted ARRs.

UK-based uses, notified to UK HSE by 1 March 2021 as already taking place under EU-held Authorisations (per UK REACH article 127h) may continue until the relevant EU Authorisation expiry dates. The decision of the EU Court of Justice in Case C-144/21 annulling the Chromium Trioxide Authorisation Consortia (CTACSub) Authorisation has no direct effect in Great Britain.

Support for continuity of ADCR applied-for chromate uses under Authorisation provisions

To support awareness, ADCR has developed flow diagrams and excel spreadsheets that may be used to help assess business impacts, due to changes in Authorisations. These do not constitute legal guidance and organisations should make their own assessments and consult their own legal experts.

Summary of applications submitted in EU and GB (UK REACH)

Flow diagram for EU (download pdf)

Spread sheet for EU (download XL)

Flow diagram for UK update 17 September 2024 (previous Flow diagram for GB (download pdf)

Spread sheet for UK update 17 September 2024 (previous Spread sheet for GB (download XL))

ADCR Renewal and New Applications submitted February 2023

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 14:44:38 GMT

In February 2023 the ADCR Consortium completed the submission of seven review reports (RR) and six new applications for authorisation (AfA) to ECHA. These submissions covered the use of five soluble chromates (chromium trioxide, sodium chromate, sodium dichromate, potassium dichromate and dichromium tris(chromate)) in surface treatment activities in the aerospace and defence (A&D) industry and its supply chains. These supplemented four RR and four AfA previously submitted in November 2022. These include renewals of applications for the original CTACSub, CCST and GCCA consortia. In addition, eight RR and nine AfA have been submitted for review by the UK authorities in accordance with the requirements of the UK REACH Regulation.

Preparation of this first tranche of RRs and AfAs has been supported by over 40 companies across the Aerospace and Defence supply chain, including the largest OEMs in Europe and the UK, as well as importers, formulators and distributors.

The substance/use combinations covered in the first tranche of submissions by the ADCR are shown in the table below. To support the requested review periods, the applications define more clearly each of the substance uses in terms of the actual conditions of use, as well as the associated worker and environmental exposures to the chromates.

More information on the submissions and the next steps following submission can be found in the following communications:

Work on the second tranche of renewal applications started in 2022 covering substances used in primers and coatings:

Strontium chromate
Pentazinc chromate octahydroxide
Potassium hydroxyoctaozodizincatedichromate

For further information concerning the above or the ADCR consortium, please contact email: adcr-info@rpaltd.co.uk

CJEU judgment in Case C-144/21 Parliament v Commission

Thu, 04 May 2023 08:21:54 GMT

On 20 April 2023, the Court of Justice of the EU issued its judgment in Case C-144/21 European Parliament v European Commission . The case concerned an action brought by the Parliament for the annulment of the Commission's Implementing Decision of 18 December 2020 granting authorisation of certain uses of chromium trioxide (the original CTAC authorisation).

As expected, the Court annulled the authorisation decision, but maintained the effects of the decision until the Commission issues a replacement decision. This will very likely be a rejection of the authorisation, as directed by the Court in the present judgment.

The judgment followed the Opinion of the Advocate General of 27 October 2022 , and is based on the following factors:

Lack of representativeness, reliability and completeness of the submitted worker exposure data, leading to an insufficient risk assessment, based on which the Commission was not in a position to conclude that the socio-economic benefits of the uses in question outweighed their risks to human health.
Failure by the Commission to ascertain that there were no suitable alternatives for the uses in question.

The Court also considered that the conditions had to be met at the time the decision was adopted. This meant that the Commission could not remedy the lack of sufficient data by providing the obligation for applicants for authorisation to provide additional information in the review reports, such as exposure scenarios and related risk management measures, which were lacking in the risk assessment.

However, the Court also stipulated that the effects are to be maintained for only one year from the date of the judgment, which means in practice that the Commission only has until 20 April 2024 to issue its replacement decision.

This limit was unexpected; it was not included in the AG's opinion, but has likely been included in order to emphasise the seriousness of the above-described issues with the annulled authorisation, and ensure that these are remedied in future applications, whilst pushing the Commission to take corrective action as soon as possible via the replacement decision.

Tranche 1 submissions made

Thu, 04 May 2023 08:15:55 GMT

21 March 2023

The ADCR completed submissions for the five Tranche 1 chromate substances covering 11 uses in February 2023. These are in support of the original submissions made by the parent consortia CTACSub, CCST, and GCCA.

Tranche 2

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:32:42 GMT

Members asked to submit monitoring data for Tranche 2 substances

Work has commenced for Tranche 2 substances, and as such a request has been sent to Downstream Users asking for monitoring data for the relevant substances:

Strontium chromate
Pentazinc chromate octahydroxide
Potassium hydroxyoctaoxodizincatedichromate

First Telephone Information Session to be held with ECHA

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:21:03 GMT

First Telephone Information Session to be held with ECHA

Update 10/11/2021: The ADCR consortium will be holding a first Telephone Information Session (TIS) with ECHA in November. These sessions aim to give future applicants for authorisation the opportunity to ask case-specific questions regarding the regulatory and procedural aspects of the authorisation application process. Members will be updated through regular communication channels when information becomes available.

Socio-economic suppliers questionnaire launch

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:52:32 GMT

Information request from suppliers for socio-economic analysis.

Work has now started on collecting information to feed into the socio-economic analysis. Two separate questionnaires have been launched to gather information from suppliers including:

Build-to-print suppliers
Build-to-design suppliers

The questionnaires are available for download, accessible through a unique link which can be requested from ADCR-info@rpaltd.co.uk

CSR drafts and AoA sub-teams underway

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:26:54 GMT

CSR drafts and AoA sub-teams underway

Update 10/11/2021: CSR preparation continues, with draft CSRs for all uses to be supported by the consortium being reviewed by the members.

Update 15/03/2021: The Aerospace and Defence Chromates Reauthorisation (ADCR) consortium website has been updated, with information and contact details included for downstream users in both the EU and the UK.

The first meeting of chemical safety report (CSR) expert group was held on 1 March 2021. The first draft CSR for passivation of stainless steel has been reviewed after comments received at the end of January 2021.

The assessment of alternatives (AoA) sub-teams have been set up, with regular meetings taking place. An AoA specific questionnaire is being developed to be circulated to members.

The ADCR Consortium extended its membership window (until 31st July 2020)

Tue, 19 May 2020 13:13:39 GMT

The ADCR Consortium extends its membership window (until 31st July 2020)

Update 01/07/2020: this extended membership window has now closed.

The Aerospace and Defence Chromates Re-Authorisation Consortium (ADCR) announced at the beginning of April that a window for new members to apply was open until the end of May 2020. Unfortunately, this announcement coincided with many companies in the EU being placed in lockdown as a measure to counter the effects of Covid-19.

As a result of the lockdown, several potential new applicants have had to delay joining the consortium, particularly where decision makers within businesses, or potential consortium representatives have been temporarily furloughed or placed on reduced hours.

The ADCR have therefore decided to extend the membership window until 31st July 2020 . This allowed time for companies to convene the right people within their organisations to provide the necessary support (e.g. technical, legal, or financial advice) for their application.

Applications were considered from companies who use chromates within the Aerospace or Defence supply chains.

ADCR’s technical support team are available to answer any questions. We will contact all companies and organisations who have registered an interest during the membership window, offering advice and answering questions on the consortium.

ADCR Technical Support Team

For more information please contact: ADCRInfo@fieldfisher.com

December ADCR-CETS Webinar

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:34:26 GMT

December ADCR-CETS Webinar

The ADCR is pleased to announce that a webinar was hosted in collaboration with the European Committee for Surface Treatment (CETS) on the 11th of December 2019. This webinar further outlined the value of ADCR membership to A&D sector companies, as well as provide participants the chance to ask questions or clarify any points. If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at info@adcr-consortium.eu .

ADCR announces new cost structure for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) members

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 10:50:06 GMT

ADCR announces new cost structure for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) members

A revision to the ADCR consortium cost structure has been agreed by its Steering Committee to provide certainty to SMEs in the Aerospace and Defence (A&D) sector supply chain.

The ADCR consortium has been set up to address the continued use of chromates in the Aerospace and Defence sector where substitution is not possible and encompasses the entire A&D supply chain. Although applications will be submitted by upstream stakeholders, dossier preparation costs and application fees will be use-specific and will be shared by paying ADCR members who are end-users and are have an interest in that use.

ADCR’s cost sharing arrangements intentionally mean that large companies bear a larger part of the costs than SMEs, as it is recognised that SMEs may not have the financial and/or resource capacity of larger companies.

The participation of as many SMEs as possible in ADCR is extremely important. SMEs are vital links in the supply chain and will hold essential information on worker exposure and environmental releases of Cr(VI). SMEs can significantly benefit from their membership of ADCR as they will have the support of their customers in meeting their legal obligations in relation to REACH Authorisation.

SMEs have expressed that they would much appreciate certainty from the outset as to the costs of applying for (re-)authorisation of the A&D uses of chromates. In response to this feedback, ADCR can announce that its Steering Committee has decided to review the terms of membership for SMEs and introduce a new cost structure. Its key parameters include:

• For SMEs, there will be a modest fixed cost per use applied for . As a result, each SME will be able to estimate its overall authorisation cost by simply knowing how many A&D Cr(VI) uses they wish to support;

• For SMEs, no late-joining membership fees will apply .

The ADCR Consortium Agreement now reflects the new SME cost structure and all companies that had previously expressed an interest in joining the ADCR and have signed the relevant Memorandum of Understanding have been advised of the new cost structure.

Any SME with an interest in joining the ADCR who wishes to get more details about on the new cost structure should contact ADCR-info@rpaltd.co.uk .

September ADCR Webinar: French, Spanish and German translations now available

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 11:54:41 GMT

ADCR Webinar: French, Spanish & German translations now available

In September the ADCR delivered a series of webinars in which the scope of re-Authorisation work was discussed, key principles were explained and next steps were laid out. These webinars were aimed at companies who joined, or are considering joining the ADCR Consortium; but was also available to trade associations who represent potential Consortium members.

A recording of this webinar is now available in French, Spanish and German. If you would like to receive access, please send a request to info@adcr-consortium.eu .

Business risks of “wait and see”

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 10:39:30 GMT

Business risks of "wait and see"

Use of chromates in the EU Aerospace and Defence sector

All companies in the Aerospace and Defence (A&D) supply chains that use chromates, or specify their use by others, and where those uses are covered by an existing Application for Authorisation are faced with the question:

What do we have to do to ensure the continued use of the chromates that are essential to our business?

REACH authorisations have a review date, which means that re-authorisation is required if the continued use of the chromates is essential to your company beyond that date. While some companies have been able to substitute away from chromates for some uses, authorisation will continue to be essential for many A&D companies.

In the first round of applications for the authorisation of the continued use of chromates, applications were compiled and submitted by upstream suppliers using broad use definitions and most companies in the downstream supply chain could assume that their uses would be covered. Since that time, much has changed and it is now clear that broad definitions of use with very generic use conditions are not acceptable to the authorities.

Despite the challenges they face, applications submitted by upstream suppliers are the only option that is possible under the REACH Regulation for covering complex supply chains. However, it is now clear that the active participation of all stakeholders in the supply chain is of critical importance for successfully applying for the re-authorisation of uses for a longer period of time.

Why become active early on in the re-authorisation process? What are the risks of adopting a “wait and see” position?

For those companies involved in the A&D sector that are reliant on chromates, it is important to consider the risks of “wait and see”:

1. Firstly, your company will have no certainty that your particular supply chain is going to be covered in the re-authorisation, as it is not guaranteed that all original applicants will file a review report. Upstream applicants can only apply for uses in their downstream supply chains. An authorisation for a use that is the same as your company’s use is of no value to you if you are not in that particular supply chain. In such a case, you would have to change supplier or stop using that chromate at the end of the current review period.

2. Secondly, if your use is covered by an upstream applicant in your supply chain, you will have no way of knowing until after the application for authorisation is submitted if the specific use description covers the required use. For example, the applied for use of a chromate coating might be for spraying, but your use is brushing. In such cases your use is not covered by authorisation and you would be obliged to significantly change the way you use chromates, if that is possible or otherwise to stop using that chromate at the end of the review period.

3. Thirdly, if the use description is specific enough to cover your use, you will have no way of knowing until after the application for authorisation is submitted if the risk management measures and operational conditions match your company’s conditions of use. For example, the application may be for a use of 2 hours per day, but your workers use the substance 4 hours a day, or the applied for use only covers use in a booth, yet you need to apply the substance in the open air. Again, if you are not able to match the conditions of use, you would not be covered by authorisation and would have to change how you use the chromate by the end of the review period, or stop that particular use.

For all A&D sector stakeholders in the EU and outside of the EU, if your EU-based suppliers, facilities or service bases use chromates, or it is critical that their continued use is assured so as to avoid supply chain disruption. It is therefore vital for you to engage in the re-authorisation process to actively manage the business risks linked to the continued uses of the chromates that are essential to your business.

November ADCR Webinars

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:40:10 GMT

November ADCR webinars

Two webinars were held in early November (see dates and time below). The webinars focused on the ADCR, and its activities. In particular, the webinars gave participants the chance to ask any questions they may have had, and to raise any issues that may have been encountered in terms of the chromates authorisations. All Aerospace and Defence stakeholders were welcome to attend on the dates and times below.

Dates and times of the webinars:

5 Nov 1600-1700 (CET)

6 Nov 1600-1700 (CET)

(Last updated 07/11/2019): This round of webinars has now concluded . If you were unable to attend and would like to view a recording, please contact us at info@adcr-consortium.eu .

ADCR article on uses and priorities published in Chemical Watch

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 16:04:16 GMT

ADCR article on uses and priorities published in Chemical Watch

Another article on the ADCR was published in Chemical Watch on 10 October 2019.

Following the successful launch of the ADCR Consortium in Brussels on 20 September 2019, Chemical Watch reports on the next steps, which are to define the scope of the authorisation applications and to set the first priorities for the work of the Consortium.

Initial scoping work is mapping the possible uses in the Aerospace and Defence (A&D) sector of the eight chromates under consideration. This Consortium is unique in that it focuses only on the chromates authorisation requirements for the A&D sector.

Steve George, Chair of the ADCR, is quoted as saying: "It may be that the number of specific applications underneath this umbrella of uses goes down significantly ... maybe one of the substances has been substituted by some companies for newer products, while other companies cannot substitute and may need to prepare applications”.

During the launch meeting Matti Vainio, ECHA’s head of risk assessment, gave a presentation to the A&D stakeholders. The Chemical Watch article also quotes Mr Vainio as saying that it is positive that stakeholders in the A&D sector are looking to "see what kind of substitution can take place and where they need to prepare authorisation reviews".

The ADCR is open to new founding members joining the Consortium, with a deadline of 20 December 2019.

For access to the article, see here: https://chemicalwatch.com/83099/aerospace-and-defence-reauthorisation-consortium-identifies-chromates-uses

ADCR Launch Event held in Brussels

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 09:11:13 GMT

ADCR Launch Event held in Brussels

The launch meeting of the newly formed Aerospace and Defence Chromates Re-authorisation (ADCR) Consortium was held in Brussels on the 20 September to mark the start of the work towards new and repeat Authorisation applications, the first time on a sectoral basis.

Representatives from over 45 organisations, participating both in person and remotely, were welcomed by the ADCR Chair Steve George, and introduced to the Technical Services and Consortium Management which includes RPA, FoBiG, Bureau Veritas and Fieldfisher who hosted the meeting at their Brussels offices.

The Technical Services team delivered a series of presentations outlining the aims, management, structure and scope of the ADCR. In addition, Matti Vainio, Head of the Risk Management II Unit at ECHA, delivered a presentation on the state of play for REACH Authorisation and answered questions from the participants.

The current Authorisation status and timelines for work for the re-Authorisation of Cr(VI) substance uses in the aerospace and defence sectors were also discussed and the challenges faced by these sectors were explained. The Technical Services team shared with delegates the results of an initial substance-use mapping exercise which has identified potentially more than 80 possible Cr(VI) substance-use combinations which may be of relevance to the aerospace and defence sectors. Possibilities of grouping substances were discussed, and preliminary estimates of associated costs were given consideration.

A strong emphasis was made on the level of detail in the conditions of use coming out of existing Authorisation applications, which is much more detailed and therefore limiting than industry anticipated prior to initial applications. This makes it all the more important that all industry users get involved this time around to ensure their remaining uses will be covered in this project going forward.

In addition, Fieldfisher presented to delegates the Consortium Agreement which became effective on the day of the launch meeting and explained the different membership options and the associated rights and obligations of membership. The important benefits of membership were further explained.

The ADCR Consortium is now progressing to an important Scoping Phase where the scope and priorities of Authorisation work will be explored and substance-use groups will be formed. Potential members considering joining the ADCR Consortium are invited to contact the ADCR Consortium at adcr-info@rpaltd.co.uk for further information, and to obtain a copy of the Consortium Agreement. Those joining by 20 December 2019 will be classed as Founding members; early entry is encouraged as this will further facilitate and support the upcoming Scoping Phase.

ADCR Consortium article published on Chemical Watch

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 10:05:50 GMT

ADCR Consortium article published on Chemical Watch

Chemical Watch published an article on the ADCR Consortium (on 8 August)

( https://chemicalwatch.com/80826/aerospace-and-defence-firms-launch-chromates-reauthorisation-consortia ).

The article points out that seven Aerospace & Defence companies have taken the initiative to address the issues faced by the sector when it comes to the authorisation of chromates under the EU’s REACH Regulation. The focus is on 8 chromates that have already gone through the REACH authorisation process, with sunset dates of September 2017 or January 2019.

Chemical Watch quotes Steve George of Rolls-Royce, the chair of the group of seven companies,

“A "key lesson" from the first set of applications is that the only way to ensure the uses of concern to every aerospace and defence supply chain are fully covered, is for much wider participation from among these (downstream user) companies.”

As noted on the homepage, the launch meeting of the ADCR Consortium will be held in Brussels on 20 September 2019. Prior to the launch event, stakeholders interested in learning more about the ADCR consortium and the issues facing this sector can register to attend a webinar, where there will also be the opportunity to ask questions ( https://www.adcr-consortium.eu/adcr-re-authorisation-webinars ).

Update: 10/10/2019: Please contact adcr-info@rpaltd.co.uk for more information, or to request access to the recording of the webinar.

ADCR Re-Authorisation Webinars

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 11:39:11 GMT

ADCR Re-Authorisation Webinars

As part of its outreach efforts, the ADCR Consortium delivered webinars in which the scope of the re-Authorisation work was discussed, the key principles were explained and the next steps were laid out. The webinars were aimed at those companies who have joined or are considering joining the ADCR Consortium but were also open to trade associations who represent potential Consortium members.

Two dates were selected for the webinars to be held in advance of the Consortium’s launch meeting in Brussels on 20th September 2019. The webinar dates were:

3 September 2019, and

11 September 2019.

There were two webinars held on each of those dates and the times were selected to be suitable for audiences both on European and non-European time zones.

The exact times and instructions for securing a place on one of these webinars was made available on this website.

Update (20/08/2019): Webinars were held on the following dates:

3 September 2019, 15:00-16:00 GMT+2

3 September 2019, 17:00-18:00 GMT+2

11 September 2019, 15:00-16:00 GMT+2

11 September 2019, 17:00-18:00 GMT+2

Update (15/10/2019): This round of webinars has now concluded . If you were unable to attend and would like to view a recording, please contact us at info@adcr-consortium.eu .