The European Commission hasproposed major new legislation on testing chemicalsfor risks to health and the environment that would bansubstances not registered by a certain date.
An earlier draft was attacked by the leaders of Germany,France and Britain, home to major chemicals firms, for being"costly and unworkable".
Environmental groups back greater controls over chemicals,some of which are used in many everyday products.
The Commission has said a more business-friendly version ofthe bill would cost the sector up to €5.2 billion over thenext decade.