Momentum grows for November deal on Reach

Political momentum is building rapidly towards a likely governmental agreement on the EU Reach chemical policy reform next month after environment ministers broadly backed a UK compromise proposal in "one of the most positive discussions ever" on Reach at their council meeting on Monday.

"There's a real feeling that people want to get this done now," environment commissioner Stavros Dimas told ENDS Europe DAILY after the closed debate in Luxembourg. "There's no reason I can see why there shouldn't be an agreement," UK environment minister Margaret Beckett said at the end of the meeting.