29. 6. 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 161/3 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1488/94‘ of 28 June 1994 laying down the principles for the assessment of risks to man and the environment of existing substances in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 of 23 March 1993 on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances (') and, in particular, Article 10 (4) thereof, Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 envisages a system of evaluation and control of the risk of existing substances and whereas Article 10 thereof requires that it shall be for the Member States to carry out such risk assessment on existing substances having priority ; Whereas, given that the responsibility for risk assessment lies with the Member States, it is, however, appropriate that' the principles of such assessment be adopted at Community level to avoid disparities between Member States which would not only affect the functioning of the internal market but would also fail to guarantee the same level of protection of man and the environment; Whereas the assessments of risks should be based on a comparison of the potential adverse effects of a substance with the known or reasonably foresceable exposure of man and the environment to that substance ; Whereas, having regard to the classification of a given substance in accordance with Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions re- lating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances (3, as last amended by Commission Directive 93/105/EC (), the assessment of risks to man should take account of the physico-chemical and toxico- logical properties of a substance ; . Whereas, having regard to its classification in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC, the assessment of risks to the environment should take account of the environmental effects of a substance ; Whereas the results of a risk assessment should be the principal basis of decisions under appropriate legislation to reduce the risks arising from manufacture, transport, () OJ No L 84, 5. 4. 1993, p. 1. @ OJ No 196, 16. 8. 1967, p. 1. () OJ No L 294, 30. 11. 1993, p. 21. storage, formulation into a preparation or other proces- sing, use and disposal or recovery of existing substances ; Whereas it is appropriate to reduce to a minimum the number of animals used for experimental purposes in accordance with Council Directive 86/603/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of the laws, regula- tions and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (‘) ; Whereas the provisions of this Regulation shall be without prejudice to specific Community legislation concerning the safety and protection of health of workers at work, in particular Council Directive 89/391/EEC (), which places an obligation on employers to evaluate the risks to the health and safety of workers arising from the use of new and existing chemical substances and, as necessary, to take measures to ensure an appropriate protection of workers ; ‘Whereas the measures set out in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up pursuant to Article 15 of Regulation (EEC) No 793/93, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 Objecﬁves This Regulation lays down general principles for the assessment of the risks posed by existing substances to man and the environment as required by Article 10 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93. Article 2 Definitions 1. The definitions contained in Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 are applicable to this Regulation. 2.  For the purposes of this Regulation : (a) ‘hazard identification’ is the identification of the adverse effects which a substance has an inherent capacity to cause; () OJ No L 358, 18. 12. 1986, p. 1. () OJ No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1.