Standards Comparison

    REACH

    Mandatory
    2007

    EU regulation for chemical registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction

    VS

    AS9120B

    Mandatory
    2016

    Aerospace QMS standard for parts distributors.

    Quick Verdict

    REACH mandates chemical risk management for EU manufacturers/importers via registration and restrictions, ensuring safety. AS9120B certifies aerospace distributors' QMS for traceability and counterfeit prevention. Companies adopt REACH for legal compliance, AS9120B for supply chain approval.

    Chemical Safety

    REACH

    Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Mandates registration of chemicals over 1 tonne/year per entity
    • Shifts burden of chemical risk proof to industry
    • Four pillars: registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
    • Triggers SVHC communication at 0.1% in articles
    • Annex XIV sunset dates drive SVHC substitution
    Quality Management

    AS9120B

    AS9120B: Quality Management Systems - Distributors

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Counterfeit and suspected unapproved parts prevention
    • Traceability and chain-of-custody controls for split lots
    • Risk-based external provider evaluation and registers
    • Configuration management via sales order identifiers
    • Preservation and product safety awareness requirements

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    REACH Details

    What It Is

    REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006) is a directly applicable EU regulation governing chemicals' lifecycle. It ensures high protection of human health and environment by requiring early risk identification. Scope covers substances, mixtures, and articles; primary approach shifts responsibility to industry for data generation and safe use.

    Key Components

    • Four pillars: Registration (>1 tonne/year dossiers), Evaluation (dossier/substance checks), Authorisation (SVHC permissions via Annex XIV), Restriction (bans/limits in Annex XVII).
    • 17 technical annexes detail data requirements, SDS, exemptions.
    • Built on precautionary principle; continuous compliance model without certification but with ECHA oversight and national enforcement.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Legal obligation for EU market access; avoids fines, seizures, market bans. Reduces risks via substitution, enhances supply-chain transparency. Builds stakeholder trust, supports ESG, drives innovation in safer chemistries.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: gap analysis, substance inventory, dossiers/CSRs via IUCLID, supply-chain SDS. Applies to manufacturers/importers/downstream users across industries, EU/EEA. No certification; requires audits, 10-year records, ongoing monitoring of lists/updates.

    AS9120B Details

    What It Is

    AS9120B is the IAQG quality management system standard for aerospace distributors, built on ISO 9001:2015's high-level structure. It establishes requirements for organizations procuring, storing, splitting, and reselling parts without altering characteristics, using a risk-based thinking approach to mitigate supply chain risks like traceability loss and counterfeits.

    Key Components

    • Over 100 aerospace-specific requirements beyond ISO 9001.
    • Core areas: context analysis, leadership, planning, support, operations (traceability, counterfeit prevention), performance evaluation, improvement.
    • Pillars include external provider controls, configuration management, preservation.
    • Certification via accredited bodies, listed in IAQG OASIS.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Commercial necessity for OEM/Tier-1 supply chains.
    • Reduces risks of nonconformities, enhances traceability confidence.
    • Builds customer trust, market access (2,442 global certifications).
    • Improves efficiency, prevents counterfeits, ensures product safety.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, process design, training, audits (6-12 months).
    • Applies to aviation/space/defense distributors globally.
    • Involves documented information, internal audits, management review for certification.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    REACH
    Chemicals registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
    AS9120B
    Aerospace distribution QMS, traceability, counterfeit prevention

    Industry

    REACH
    Chemicals, manufacturing, importing across all sectors
    AS9120B
    Aerospace distributors, stockists, global aviation supply chains

    Nature

    REACH
    Mandatory EU regulation, legally binding
    AS9120B
    Voluntary certification standard based on ISO 9001

    Testing

    REACH
    Dossier submission, substance evaluation by ECHA
    AS9120B
    Internal audits, certification body surveillance audits

    Penalties

    REACH
    National fines, effective/proportionate/dissuasive penalties
    AS9120B
    Loss of certification, market exclusion by customers

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about REACH and AS9120B

    REACH FAQ

    AS9120B FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages