ECHA’s stakeholders from around the world gather in Helsinki

Experts from the chemical industry and other stakeholders from around the world will come together in Helsinki for the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) fourth Stakeholder Day on 19 May 2010.

ECHA has nearly 50 partner stakeholders around the world. These partners include, in addition to the chemical industry, many NGOs, consumer groups, environmental groups, health based and women’s organisations, worker representatives, scientific representatives and animal welfare organisations.

ECHA’s Stakeholders Days are held twice a year. At the third Stakeholders Day in December 2009, approximately 250 stakeholder representatives attended in person while many more were watching the event via web stream. The Stakeholders Day is of particular interest to the international trade media but also to the general media, given that the legislation managed by ECHA has an impact on every single citizen.  

Spring will also bring the visit of two members of the European Commission to ECHA. The Vice-President Antonio Tajani and Commissioner Janez Potočnik will visit ECHA on 25 March 2010. The Commissioners will meet with ECHA staff, stakeholders and also national and international media. This will mean an exciting few months ahead for all of us.

The European Chemicals Agency has been operational in Helsinki for nearly three years now. Finland is a great place for the Agency to be situated – Finnish people are very health and environmentally conscious and, even in the extreme conditions of this winter, everything still works! We will need everything to continue to work as we approach the challenging deadlines later this year for the Agency and the chemical industry throughout Europe.

Head of Communications, ECHA