Darren Abrahams

Partner

• dabrahams@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Brussels Office

Darren Abrahams is an English Barrister and a partner in the Brussels office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP. His practice is focused on EU regulatory requirements and related commercial issues in the environment, chemicals, and life sciences area.

The PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook consistently recommends Mr. Abrahams in EU Life Sciences and Legal 500 EMEA has recognised his "comprehensive understanding" and "detailed expert knowledge" of EU environmental regulation. Who's Who Legal Environment identifies him as one of the leading individuals in EU environmental regulation, as does Chambers & Partners Europe, which reports the market's assessment that he is "exceptionally hard-working and diligent."

He has particular experience in the following areas:

• biotechnology (genetically modified food, feed and plants);
• chemicals (biocides, cosmetics, plant protection products, REACH and Classification, Labelling and Packaging) and the issues of competition law arising in the sector, including cartels;
• environment (removal of barriers to trade, climate change, labelling and marketing claims, liability, operation of industrial installations, product standards, substance restrictions and hazardous and electronic waste);
• food and feed (labelling and marketing claims and hygiene rules); and
• medical devices (authorisation, classification and reclassification).

Mr. Abrahams provides legal advice and representation to enable clients to authorise and place their products on the EU market (such as biocides, pesticides, GMOs, and substances covered by the REACH regime for chemicals). He also assists clients with the environmental aspects of international transactions and the structuring of regulatory compliance programmes.

An important part of his practice is helping clients understand the likely commercial impacts of new EU regulatory initiatives and actively shaping their legislative and policy environments. He represents clients before key decision making bodies (EU institutions and EU Member States), as well as in the European Courts of Justice.

His professional experience includes an internship with the European Commission’s Environment Directorate General, during which time he assisted on dossiers including the Environmental Liability Directive and Aarhus Convention. He lectures and publishes regularly.

Representative Matters

A recent list of matters in which he has been involved includes:

• strategic and practical advice on compliance with REACH (including as an Only Representative and Third Party Representative); 
• a marketing and labeling compliance check for a range of cosmetic products;
• advice on the operation of the new EU Classification, Labeling & Packaging regime implementing GHS;   
• defending the authorisation of several chemical substances before the Court of First Instance;
• data protection, consortia and supply agreements for biocidal and plant protection products;
• advice on liability issues under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
• legal challenges to coexistence measures adopted by several EU Member States concerning the cultivation of GMOs;
• a complete regulatory health check for the marketing of an energy drink in several EU Member States;
• advice on environmental liability issues associated with various manufacturing processes and product sales;
• structuring of compliance regimes for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and strategies for addressing RoHS non-compliant electrical and electronic products;
• advice on WTO litigation challenges to aspects of the EU's approach to the regulation of genetically modified organisms; 
• advice on the authorisation of novel foods; and
• product recalls for defective/non-complaint products.

Noteworthy

• Leading Lawyer, Chambers Europe 2011
• Leading Lawyer, Chambers Europe 2010
• Leading Lawyer, Chambers Europe 2009 
• Listed in Who's Who Legal for Environment (2010-2011)
• Recommended by Legal 500 EMEA for EU Environment: Regulatory (2008-2011)

Select News & Events

• AmCham Connect Highlights Brussels Office
• "New EU Regime for Plant Protection Products", Annual Conference on European Environmental Law 2011, European Academy of Law, June 6, 2011
• Chambers Europe 2011 Honors Steptoe Practices and Lawyers
• Darren Abrahams Presents Legal Perspectives on the Internal Market and EU Importation, European Parliament Session on GMO Cultivation, March 2, 2011
• REACH Post Registration: Next Challenges, February 15, 2011, (A Steptoe-Sponsored Event)
• European Voice Quotes Darren Abrahams on GM Cultivation
• Dr. Anna Gergely and Darren Abrahams Present at the PVC Plasticisers 2010 Conference, February 10, 2010
• Steptoe Presents to the American Chamber of Commerce, January 11, 2010
• Darren Abrahams to Speak on New Cosmetics Regulation, October 29, 2009
• Steptoe Brussels Regulatory Environment Group Ranked as Leading Firm by Chambers Europe 2009
• Darren Abrahams Quoted on REACH Implications, August 2008
• Darren Abrahams Quoted in Business Insurance on Soil Directives

Selected Publications

• The Lisbon Treaty
  What the Changes in EU Governance Mean to the Chemical Industry
  September 2010
• EU Analyst: Environment & Life Sciences
  July 30, 2010
• EU Analyst: Environment & Life Sciences
  April 15, 2010
• EU Briefing - What to Expect from the New European Commission
  January 26, 2010
• The Proposed Austrian Ban on GMOs - is It Legal Under European Community Law?
  June 23, 2009, Agriculture et Environnement
• REACH: Key Competition Issues
  June 19, 2009, Law360
• EU Analyst: Environment & Life Sciences
  June 16, 2009
• EU Analyst: Environment & Life Sciences
  June 17, 2008

More Publications »

Professional Affiliations

• American Chamber of Commerce to the EU
• Bar European Group
• UK Environmental Law Association