Chinese chemical industry to open office in Helsinki

print this

Local authorities in the Helsinki metropolitan area are seeking to get all the benefits that they can from the European Chemical Agency, which set up operations in the Finnish capital in June. Now efforts are being made to attract chemical industry offices of countries outside the EU.
      The REACH Centre project set up to this end is encouraging the establishment of such offices in Helsinki. The idea is that such offices can make it easier to register chemicals to be imported into the European Union.
      Under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances), the new chemical regulation that came into force at the beginning of June, all industrial chemicals imported into the EU need to be registered with the Chemical Agency.
      A European organisation helps European chemical companies in registration matters, but this does not help importers from outside the EU.
     
The first to open an office in Helsinki is the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importer and Exporters (CCCMC), whose premises should open at the beginning of next year.
      The Deputy Director-General of CCCMC, Madame Li says that the Chinese chemical industry has carefully followed the progress of the REACH process. "It affects China and Chinese industry in many ways. Especially small and medium-sized companies do not have the possibilities to deal with registration matters themselves. And if they want to deal with the EU, they get into trouble", Madame Li says.
      Li believes that the costs of REACH will encourage European chemical companies to focus on developing economies. "In China this adds to environmental problems. I believe that industry and administration in China will learn from the regulations, and gradually develop environmental protection and chemical safety."
     
China initially considered locating the office in Paris or Brussels. However, thanks to quick and efficient preparatory work, Helsinki came out the winner.Hannu Vornamo of the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, says that it also got help at the ministerial-level to persuade the Chinese to locate their liaison office in Helsinki.
      Next, the REACH Centre has the chemical industries of Russia, the United States, and Canada in its sights. The head of the project, Riku Rinta-Jouppi, leaves for North America on Saturday.
      According to Vornamo, the offices will offer work in the Helsinki area to various consultants and enterprises involved with the chemical industry, in helping the offices in matters of registering their products.
      Dozens of employees are expected to work in the Chinese office. Li does not expect to hire Finnish employees. "Most of the actual work will take place in China. The Helsinki office is primarily for maintaining contact."


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Legislation passed, EU Chemical Agency to come to Helsinki (14.12.2006)
  Establishment of EU Chemical Agency in Helsinki to go ahead (4.12.2006)
  European Union Chemicals Agency to be set up in centre of Helsinki (23.3.2006)

Links:
  European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

Helsingin Sanomat