This is an excerpt from an interview Generis Group did with Assent Compliance prior to the American Aerospace & Defense Summit 2018. “What are some of the biggest regulatory and compliance challenges aerospace and defense companies face? The “Once an Article, Always an Article” ruling under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation has had a significant impact on aerospace and defense companies. They must now evaluate their products for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) under the regulation. Many parts produced by industry manufacturers are complex, containing several subparts and undergoing a range of processes that could potentially introduce restricted chemicals to the end product. Each of these must be evaluated individually in accordance with the article interpretation. The list of chemicals restricted under REACH is also growing considerably and will continue to do so over the coming years. Companies must manage business continuity risk as more SVHCs are restricted, denying them access to substances that are critical to the ongoing maintenance and repair of their products. Companies must also manage a range of emerging human rights legislation that requires them to show year-over-year due diligence efforts to mitigate the risk of human rights violations in their supply chains. Key markets that have introduced disclosure requirements include the U.S., the UK, France and Australia. Additionally, the industry is threatened by a rapidly shifting trade landscape that includes fluctuating tariffs, sanctions, and free trade agreements.”