2019 was a very busy year from a technical perspective with registration updates for 6 out of the 12 substances handled by MARA, some of which were updated twice. Although there were no new manganese substances included in the compliance check list, those already highlighted underwent more ECHA demands with some leading to further testing. 

The MAIN achievements in 2019 were as follows:

1. Organisational: The General Assembly voted Mr. Antonio Salinas of FerroGlobe as Chairman, maintained Dr Bernd Friede of Elkem as 1st Vice Chairman and voted Mr Patrick Sacco or Ore & Metal as 2nd Vice Chairman.  All 3 make up the Executive Committee with the mantra to work towards the smooth day to day running of the consortium. 

The Steering committee developed and approved of a method for selling MARA’s data outside EU REACH (to come into effect 2020).

The Technical working group examined dossiers that are not under compliance check and approved of them to be updated systematically to align with the new IUCLID, CSR tool and most importantly with data that has already been used in the compliance check dossiers as the need may be. This action is also in alignment with the commission and ECHA's drive towards sysmatic voluntary dossier updates.

2. Dossier updates: A total of 6 dossiers were updated namely - FeMn slag, SiMn slag, Mn3O4, Mn, MnSO4, Mn(NO3)2. While some of these dossiers had been updated before, new information requirement from ECHA especially on the environmental toxicology side triggered updates, while others were simply updated via readacross for harmonisation and alignment. It is important to highlight here that some of these updates triggered a new classification for some Mn substances as suspected reprotoxicants. These classifications emanated from testing requested by ECHA.

3. LoA Fees: At the start of 2019, SIEF members owed MARA LoA top-up fees of ca. €420K. By year end, 70% of the owed sum had been collected with the remainder 30% pending mostly from UK companies possibly due to the unknown effects of BREXIT. The consortium is currently discussing an appriopriate legal action to take.

2019, saw the smallest number of LOA sales, since the first registration deadline of 2010. Only 8 LoA’s were sold – reducing LoA income significantly.

ECHA: As part of running the consortium, ECHA’s activities are monitored by the secretariat. As a summary, 2019 saw the highest number of compliance checks across industry with gradual steps towards achieving ECHA’s 2020 goals set on the following:

• Integrated Regulatory Strategy - Meeting the 2020 goals of the world summit
• The Metals and Inorganics Sectorial Approach (MISA) – Identifying registration shortcomings by 2020
• Strategic approach to internal chemicals management (SAICM):  Implementation towards the achievement of the 2020 goal

In addition, ECHA’s focus in 2019 on Nano materials increased while the Commission reviewed and made changes on several REACH ANNEXES.

Overall, 2019 was an outstandingly successful year in terms of the work covered, meeting SIEF demands, while meeting the data-sharing regulation demands expected of the consortium.