The Importance of KKDİK in Industrial Production

The Importance of REACH in Industrial Production Selçuk Gülsün, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Manufacturers Association (PAGDER), stated that the desired progress has not yet been achieved in the implementation of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), which will become mandatory for final registration by the end of 2023. "Chemical inputs are used in all industrial production today. As of 2024, there is a risk that imports of chemicals that have not been finally registered under REACH will be halted, and consequently our country's industrial production could suffer serious disruption. We believe that the implementation timeline of this regulation should be reviewed to avoid such an outcome," he said.  

Major Losses Possible in Exports

REACH As the final implementation deadline approaches, foreign companies observing that chemicals used in production have not yet been finally registered could review their supply chains and may turn to other countries to avoid risk, Gülsün said. "In many sectors that produce qualified goods, exports are conducted under long-term contracts. In this regard, it is also of great importance that buyers in countries to which we export have confidence in our production capacity and capability. If the current situation continues and by year-end the number of finally registered chemicals remains insufficient, the renewal of export contracts will become difficult. A significant portion of the raw materials used by our industrial sectors as inputs are not produced domestically, and we obtain them through imports. Some chemicals that are critically important for value-added production arrive in our country in very small quantities, and for this reason, our foreign suppliers are unwilling to bear the REACH costs for such small quantities. Another issue is the inability to conduct the necessary tests for REACH within our country, and the difficulties faced by Turkish companies when they seek to purchase the registration file for the relevant chemical from consortiums in Europe. For this process to proceed smoothly, it is important to review the regulations, establish testing infrastructure in our country, and undertake interstate initiatives to overcome the difficulties experienced in consortiums," he said.

We Are Communicating Our Concerns to All Relevant Authorities

  Noting that PAGDER has expressed its concerns regarding the system's implementation timeline with all relevant authorities, Gülsün said, "We are in contact with all stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Environment, Urbanism and Climate Change, to resolve these issues which we believe could disrupt our country's production. As an association, it is not only we who have similar concerns—representatives of other sectors that will be affected from the initial stage of implementation also share these concerns and are taking steps to resolve this issue. Since we believe it is important to inform the production sectors that will be indirectly affected by this regulation, we aim to organize events and raise awareness in this regard in the coming period," he said.

The Ministry Is Working Dedicatedly

Gülsün noted that he finds it very positive that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanism and Climate Change brings all sector stakeholders together to hold meetings where current and potential problems are discussed. "I would like to extend my thanks to everyone working on this matter at the Ministry, especially Director General of Environmental Management Eyyüp Karahan. They are making a tremendous effort to ensure the process proceeds smoothly, and they are advancing by involving all stakeholders in these efforts. As a result of all parties' good faith and dedicated work, I hope this issue will be resolved," he said.