Since EU REACH entered into force in 2007, jurisdictions around the globe have sought to align their regulatory frame-works governing the chemical sector accordingly. By contrast, the United Kingdom, following its withdrawal from the European Union, may choose a path of regulatory divergence.
While the Northern Ireland Protocol has ensured that EU REACH will continue to apply in Northern Ireland, the rules governing the manu-facture, sale and distribution of chemicals in Great Britain have been significantly altered.