Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No. 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC.

The purpose of this Regulation is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment, including the promotion of alternative methods for assessment of hazards of substances, as well as the free circulation of substances on the internal market while enhancing competitiveness and innovation. This Regulation lays down provisions on hazardous substances and mixtures and specification of hazard classes; general obligations of manufacturers, importers and downstream users to classify, label and package the substances and mixtures; identification and examination of available information on substances and mixtures; evaluation of hazard information and decision on classification; establishment of a classification and labelling inventory in the form of a database; and the manufacture, placing on the market and use of chemical substances and preparations, pursuant to the precautionary principle.
The Regulation sets forth the framework concerning the registration of such substances and preparations as well as the granting of authorizations. Furthermore, it sets up the European Chemicals Agency for the purposes of managing and carrying out the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of this Regulation. This Regulation sets out eight annexes attached. Annex I sets out the criteria for classification and labelling requirements for hazardous substances and mixtures. Annex II lays down special rules for labelling and packaging of certain classified substances and mixtures.