In 2001, the European Union released a white paper proposing the establishment of a regulation on the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (REACH). The key objective of the regulation is to increase the protection of the consumers, health and the environment from the exposure to hazardous substances. The regulation was adopted in September 2003 by the European Union (EU) Parliament and eventually, enforced on 1 June 2007. Affected parties have been advised to carry out pre-registration of phase-in substances in the period June to November 2008. Many Malaysian oleochemical manufacturers, the most affected sector in the palm oil industry, have already pre-register their products.