Standards Comparison

    REACH

    Mandatory
    2007

    EU regulation for chemical registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction

    VS

    MAS TRM

    Mandatory
    2021

    Singapore guidelines for financial technology risk management

    Quick Verdict

    REACH mandates chemical safety registration and restrictions across EU industries for health protection, while MAS TRM guides Singapore FIs on technology risk governance and cyber resilience. Companies adopt REACH for EU market access; MAS TRM to meet supervisory expectations and ensure operational stability.

    Chemical Safety

    REACH

    Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on REACH

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

    Key Features

    • Shifts burden of proof to industry for risks
    • Registration required above 1 tonne/year per entity
    • Four pillars: registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
    • Continuous dossier updates and Annex monitoring
    • Supply-chain SDS and SVHC communication duties
    Technology Risk Management

    MAS TRM

    MAS Technology Risk Management Guidelines

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Board and senior management accountability
    • Proportional risk-based controls
    • Third-party risk management integration
    • Annual penetration testing requirement
    • Cyber resilience and DR testing

    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 establishing a comprehensive framework for managing chemical risks. Its primary purpose is protecting human health and the environment through better identification of substance properties, while promoting innovation. The risk-based approach shifts responsibility to industry for generating and sharing data on hazards, exposure, and safe use.

    Key Components

    • Four integrated pillars: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, Restriction.
    • Detailed annexes (I-XVII) defining data requirements, SDS rules, SVHC lists (Annex XIV), restrictions (Annex XVII).
    • Core principles: industry-led data generation, tonnage-based information scaling, supply-chain communication.
    • No certification; compliance via ECHA dossier submissions and national enforcement.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Legal obligation for EU market access; avoids penalties, market bans. Reduces risks via proactive substitution, enhances supply-chain transparency, supports ESG goals, drives innovation in safer chemistries.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased approach: gap analysis, substance inventory, dossier preparation (IUCLID), SDS management, monitoring. Applies to manufacturers/importers (>1 tpa); cross-industry, EU/EEA-focused. Ongoing audits, no central certification.

    MAS TRM Details

    What It Is

    MAS Technology Risk Management (TRM) Guidelines (January 2021) are supervisory guidelines from Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for financial institutions. They provide a risk-based framework for managing technology and cyber risks across governance, operations, and resilience, emphasizing proportionality to FI size and complexity.

    Key Components

    • 15 sections covering governance, asset management, SDLC, IT services, resilience, access controls, cryptography, cyber operations, testing, and audit.
    • Core principles: board accountability, defence-in-depth, security-by-design, continuous monitoring.
    • No fixed controls; compliance via demonstrable outcomes and supervisory review.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for MAS-regulated FIs to avoid fines, enforcement.
    • Enhances resilience, reduces cyber incidents, integrates with ERM.
    • Builds trust, enables digital innovation safely.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: governance setup, asset inventory, control deployment, testing.
    • Targets banks, insurers, fintechs in Singapore.
    • No certification; internal audit and MAS supervision assess adherence.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    REACH
    Chemicals registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
    MAS TRM
    Technology risk governance, cybersecurity, IT resilience

    Industry

    REACH
    Chemicals, manufacturing, all EU supply chains
    MAS TRM
    Singapore financial institutions (banks, insurers)

    Nature

    REACH
    Mandatory EU regulation with penalties
    MAS TRM
    Supervisory guidelines, proportionate enforcement

    Testing

    REACH
    Dossier evaluation, substance checks by ECHA
    MAS TRM
    Annual pen testing, vulnerability assessments, DR tests

    Penalties

    REACH
    National fines, market bans, effective/dissuasive
    MAS TRM
    Supervisory actions, fines, license conditions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about REACH and MAS TRM

    REACH FAQ

    MAS TRM FAQ

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