The Council of the European Union has recently adopted a Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals. It updates the existing 2008 European legislation, clarifies the rules on the labelling of chemicals and adapts them to different forms of trade, e.g. online or bulk trade. It also promotes the circularity of chemicals, makes labelling - including digital labelling - easier and clearer to read and ensures better protection against chemical hazards.
In this way, the new Regulation adapts to the emergence of new hazards such as the presence of endocrine disrupters or the long-term effects of certain substances. It also facilitates the notification of new hazards and gives the European Commission and other stakeholders new powers to classify harmful substances and speed up their identification. It also codifies the requirements for voluntary digital labelling.
The new EU rules will apply to all chemicals in solid form, but include a five-year exemption for substances with more than one botanical constituent that have not been chemically modified. When this deadline expires, the Commission will be able to propose new rules based on the latest scientific knowledge.
The legislative act will now be signed by the Presidents of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Once signed, it will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force 20 days later.
Source of information: Council of the EU.