REVIEW: HELASOFT at 17th Chem-Academy Conference on Product Safety
Train and farmers’ strikes didn’t stop the 17th Product Safety Conference in Bonn, beginning of this week (29.-30. Jan 2024). A few impressions:
“The Reach Revision has not been postponed. Only the timeframe has changed.”
That’s the new official wording. Is it helpful? Well. What can already be said: The further discussions will start again around 2025, so the revision can be expected to be adopted in 2026 at the earliest.
Will the Green Deal ‘fade’ after the upcoming European elections?
- The possible effects of the expected shift in the political spectrum were subject of lively discussions: Will there be a reduction of regulatory pressure? New environmental goals? Completely new challenges?
- How can the time until 2026 be utilised? Otto Linher (DG Grow, European Commission) recommended two things: do not act hastily, but wait for the new Commission’s line and make the necessary preparations. Issues such as PFAS, chrome plating and polymers will certainly remain important and urgent!
Europe remains colourful – at least when it comes to regulations
- Michael Banghard (Karl Storz) illustrated the regulatory challenges using the example of the EU authorisation of a medical device, which is subject to more than 55 sets of regulations alone…
- It is not just the number of regulations, but also the inconsistencies between them that cause headaches for many participants.
Automation at AI
- It won’t work without greater automation – and “artificial intelligence” in particular promises great potential for relief. Markus Nörtemann, Helasoft, led us through the topic – from antiquity to present day and future outlook.
- Discussions included, for example, the validity of the results: when does AI start to “fantasise”? Will product safety experts become supervisors with paid time off? Who owns training data?
Product safety as a “key corporate function” (Erika Kunz, Clariant)
- Erika Kunz (Clariant) and Steffen Bade (BASF), among others, shed light on how broad the field of product safety is today. Bade promised applicants a very exciting, complex, challenging and yes, also work-intensive environment in product safety in the long term!
Learn more: Link to official information
As always, a big thank you to Volker J. Soballa (Evonik) and Dr Bjoern Nehls (ChemAcademy) who guided us through the wide-ranging programme!
Many thanks for the inspiring talks and discussions. We would like to invite you to continue the discussions with us!
