Standards Comparison

    REACH

    Mandatory
    2007

    EU regulation for chemical registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction

    VS

    SAMA CSF

    Mandatory
    2017

    Saudi framework for financial cybersecurity governance.

    Quick Verdict

    REACH mandates chemical risk management across EU supply chains, while SAMA CSF requires cybersecurity maturity for Saudi financial firms. Organizations adopt REACH for EU market access; SAMA CSF ensures regulatory compliance and resilience.

    Chemical Safety

    REACH

    Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH)

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

    Key Features

    • Shifts burden to industry for chemical registration over 1 tonne/year
    • Four pillars: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, Restriction
    • SVHC Candidate List triggers Article 33 communication duties
    • Tonnage-based escalating data and safety assessment requirements
    • Annex XVII enforces EU-wide substance restrictions and bans
    Cybersecurity

    SAMA CSF

    SAMA Cyber Security Framework Version 1.0

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

    Key Features

    • Six-level maturity model targeting Level 3 minimum
    • Four core domains with detailed subdomains
    • Board oversight and independent CISO requirements
    • Third-party risk management and outsourcing controls
    • Alignment with NIST, ISO 27001 standards

    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 requiring industry to identify, register, and manage chemical risks. Scope covers substances, mixtures, and articles; key approach shifts responsibility to manufacturers/importers for data generation via risk-based assessments.

    Key Components

    • Four pillars: Registration (>1 tonne/year), Evaluation (dossier/substance checks), Authorisation (SVHC Annex XIV), Restriction (Annex XVII).
    • Annexes (I-XVII) detail data requirements, SDS rules, lists.
    • Built on industry-led Chemical Safety Reports (CSR), exposure scenarios.
    • Compliance model: continuous, no certification but ECHA submissions, national enforcement.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandated for EU market access; avoids fines, market bans. Drives substitution, supply-chain transparency, innovation. Enhances ESG, reduces liability, builds stakeholder trust.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: inventory, gap analysis, dossiers via IUCLID, SDS/communication. Applies to manufacturers/importers/downstream users EU-wide; complex for globals. Ongoing monitoring, audits; no central certification.

    SAMA CSF Details

    What It Is

    The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Cyber Security Framework (SAMA CSF), Version 1.0 (May 2017), is a mandatory regulatory framework for SAMA-regulated financial institutions in Saudi Arabia. It prescribes principle-based, outcome-oriented controls across governance and operations to detect, resist, respond to, and recover from cyber threats, emphasizing a risk-based maturity model.

    Key Components

    • Four principal domains: Cyber Security Leadership and Governance, Risk Management and Compliance, Operations and Technology, Third-Party Cyber Security.
    • Numerous subdomains with principles, objectives, and control considerations (e.g., IAM, incident management, payment systems).
    • Six-level maturity model (Level 3 minimum: structured policies, standards, procedures, KPIs).
    • Aligned with NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS; self-assessment via questionnaire, SAMA audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory compliance for banks, insurers, finance firms to avoid penalties, audits.
    • Enhances resilience, reduces incidents; strategic advantages like partnerships, efficiency.
    • Builds trust, competitive edge in digital finance; integrates with enterprise risk management.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased approach: gap analysis, risk assessment, control roadmap, deployment, monitoring, audits.
    • Targets SAMA-regulated entities; scalable by size; requires board sponsorship, CISO, evidence collection.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    REACH
    Chemicals lifecycle: registration, evaluation, authorisation, restriction
    SAMA CSF
    Cybersecurity: governance, risk mgmt, operations, third-party controls

    Industry

    REACH
    Chemicals, manufacturing, importers EU-wide
    SAMA CSF
    Saudi financial institutions: banks, insurance, financing

    Nature

    REACH
    Mandatory EU regulation directly applicable
    SAMA CSF
    Mandatory framework with maturity levels

    Testing

    REACH
    Dossier evaluation by ECHA, substance checks
    SAMA CSF
    Self-assessments, maturity model audits

    Penalties

    REACH
    National fines, effective/proportionate/dissuasive
    SAMA CSF
    Supervisory actions, fines up to SAR 5M

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about REACH and SAMA CSF

    REACH FAQ

    SAMA CSF 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