REACH
EU regulation for chemicals registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
FedRAMP
U.S. program standardizing federal cloud security assessments and authorizations.
Quick Verdict
REACH mandates chemical safety registration and restrictions for EU market access, while FedRAMP authorizes secure cloud services for US federal agencies. Companies adopt REACH for legal compliance and FedRAMP for government contracts.
REACH
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on REACH
Key Features
- Shifts burden to industry for chemical registration above 1 tonne/year
- Four pillars: registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
- SVHC Candidate List triggers supply-chain communication duties
- Tonnage-based escalating data and testing requirements
- Continuous dossier updates and Annex monitoring obligations
FedRAMP
Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program
Key Features
- Reusable authorizations across federal agencies
- NIST SP 800-53 baselines at Low/Moderate/High levels
- Independent 3PAO security assessments required
- Continuous monitoring with monthly deliverables
- FedRAMP Marketplace for transparency and reuse
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. Its primary purpose is protecting human health and environment by shifting responsibility to industry for risk identification, assessment, and management of substances, mixtures, and articles. It uses a risk-based approach with tonnage-triggered obligations and adaptive annexes.
Key Components
- Four pillars: Registration (>1 tonne/year dossiers), Evaluation (dossier/substance checks), Authorisation (SVHC permission post-sunset), Restriction (Annex XVII bans/limits).
- 17 technical annexes defining data requirements, SDS rules, SVHC criteria.
- Core principles: industry-led data generation, supply-chain communication, substitution promotion.
- No certification; continuous compliance via ECHA submissions and national enforcement.
Why Organizations Use It
Ensures EU market access, avoids penalties/recalls, manages supply-chain risks. Strategic benefits include innovation via safer alternatives, ESG alignment, competitive differentiation. Legally mandatory for manufacturers/importers; reduces liability, builds stakeholder trust.
Implementation Overview
Phased: gap analysis, substance inventory, dossier preparation (IUCLID), SDS/communication setup, monitoring. Applies to chemicals sectors globally trading in EU/EEA; cross-functional (procurement, R&D, EHS). No central certification; national audits/enforcement require ongoing readiness.
FedRAMP Details
What It Is
FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is a U.S. government-wide framework standardizing security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud services used by federal agencies. Its primary purpose is to enable secure, reusable cloud adoption via NIST SP 800-53-derived baselines mapped to FIPS 199 impact levels (Low, Moderate, High), reducing duplication and enhancing trust.
Key Components
- Baselines with ~156 (Low), ~323 (Moderate), ~410 (High) controls, plus LI-SaaS subset.
- Core artifacts: SSP, SAR, POA&M; 3PAO assessments.
- Built on NIST standards; continuous monitoring playbook.
- Agency/Program authorizations for reusability.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory for federal cloud procurement.
- Unlocks multi-agency contracts, market credibility.
- Mitigates risks via independent validation.
- Differentiates CSPs; builds stakeholder trust.
Implementation Overview
- Gap analysis, documentation, 3PAO assessment, remediation.
- Targets CSPs serving federal agencies; high complexity.
- Timelines 10-19 months; costly ($150k-$2M+); annual reassessments.
Key Differences
| Aspect | REACH | FedRAMP |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Chemicals registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction | Cloud security assessment, authorization, continuous monitoring |
| Industry | Chemicals, manufacturing, global with EU focus | Cloud services for US federal agencies |
| Nature | Mandatory EU regulation with national enforcement | Standardized US government authorization program |
| Testing | Dossier evaluation by ECHA, substance testing by tonnage | 3PAO independent assessments, NIST 800-53 controls |
| Penalties | National fines, effective/proportionate/dissuasive penalties | Market exclusion, no direct fines but contract loss |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about REACH and FedRAMP
REACH FAQ
FedRAMP FAQ
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