It is the task of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the member states to examine and evaluate the information in the registration dossiers. Three processes can be differentiated:
1. Examination of test proposals
The ECHA examines all testing proposals in the registration dossiers to avoid unnecessary animal tests. It verifies whether the proposed tests are necessary in order to enable the assessment of the possible risks of a substance. It also checks whether it can be avoided that a test is carried out several times, if there are several registrants for the same substance.
Every testing proposal with vertebrates is also published on the ECHA website. Third parties have the possibility to provide relevant information concerning this to the ECHA.
The outcome of the evaluation of the test proposal is shared by the ECHA with all member states so as to come to a general agreement concerning this.
2. Compliance check of registrations
The ECHA can examine every registration dossier in order to verify whether the correct information is available and whether it is offered correctly. With this, the ECHA can decide that additional information or testings are necessary.
If the ECHA decides that supplementary information is required, this point of view is shared with all member states in order to come to a general agreement concerning this.
3. Substance evaluation
If a substance can pose a risk to the environment or human health, the ECHA and the member states will add this substance to a list for 'substance evaluation'. This is done on the basis of selection criteria, which may change every year. For every substance on the list, a member state is assigned for carrying out the evaluation.
A substance is evaluated by the member state on the basis of the information in the registration file(s) and possibly other relevant information. The evaluating member state has twelve months to decide whether additional information should be requested in order to better identify the possible risk.
If the member state decides that supplementary information is necessary, this point of view will be shared with all member states and with the ECHA in order to come to a general agreement concerning this.
Upon receipt of the possibly requested information, the evaluating member state has once again twelve months to assess the substance.
As soon as the substance evaluation has been concluded, the evaluating member state can verify as to how the information can be further used, for instance for the authorisation or restriction procedures or for the classification and labelling of chemicals.