Amended Chemicals Safety Act to give associations, foundations and municipalities the right to request administrative reviews
On 7 October 2021, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to amend the Act on the Safe Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals and Explosives, the Mining Act and the Nuclear Energy Act.
Operators, such as companies, must apply for a permit from the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) for the industrial handling of dangerous chemicals and the manufacturing and storage of explosives. The Government’s proposed amendment to the Chemicals Safety Act would give associations, foundations and municipalities defined in the Act the right to request an administrative review of the licences granted by Tukes. Other technical amendments have also been proposed to the Act.
In addition, a reference to the international consultation procedure laid down in the Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure, which applies to cross-border environmental impact assessment cases, will be added to the Chemicals Safety Act, the Nuclear Energy Act and the Mining Act.
The proposal submitted by the Government to Parliament complements the implementation of EU legislation in national legislation. The Government proposes to amend the Acts because the European Commission has issued Finland two official notices regarding the national implementation of EU legislation. The amendments are due to come into effect during 2021.
Inquiries:
Tarja Virkkunen, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 8252