The white paper on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, which will start to come into force at the end of 2006, had more than 1,000 amendments in the two-day reading.

The upside is that pre-registration of chemicals has been accepted, as has the "one substance, one registration". The obligation to register has introduced a potential risk element other than just hazard, and quantities below 10 tonnes now qualify for less stringent regulations.

The flipside is that the amendments include limiting product registration to five years and an obligation to substitute products, even if there is no exposure danger.

"The bad news is that conditions of trade on imported articles remains," said British Coatings Federation chief executive Moira McMillan.

This means work from outside the EU doesn't have to use registered products.