Chemicals and pesticides
EU chemicals and pesticides legislation aims to protect human health and the environment, as well as to prevent barriers to trade. It consists of rules governing the marketing and use of particular categories of chemical products, a set of harmonised restrictions on the placing on the market and use of hazardous substances, and protocols for handling major accidents and exports of dangerous substances. The two most important achievements at EU level are the CLP Regulation and the REACH Regulation. Under the European Green Deal and particularly the ‘Chemicals for Sustainability’, ‘Farm to Fork’ and ‘Biodiversity’ strategies, EU legislation on chemicals and pesticides is currently undergoing a revision process.
Legal basis
Articles 191 to 193 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Objectives and achievements
A. Registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals
Entering into force on 1 June 2007, Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) established a new legal framework to regulate the development and testing, production, placing on the market and use of chemicals, and replaced around 40 previous legislative acts. REACH introduced a single system for all chemicals and transferred the burden of proof concerning the risk assessment of substances from public authorities to companies. In addition, it demanded that the most dangerous chemicals be replaced by suitable alternatives. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), established under this regulation and based in Helsinki is responsible for managing the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of REACH, and for ensuring consistency in its application.
The REACH Regulation was subsequently reviewed by the Commission in 2013 and 2017. The first review concluded that progress could be made in reducing the financial and administrative burden on industry and finding alternative methods to animal testing. The second review found that REACH was effective overall, but opportunities for simplification and burden reduction were identified, which could be achieved by delivering the actions outlined in the report. Those actions should be implemented in line with the renewed EU industrial policy strategy, the circular economy action plan, and the 7th environment action programme. As of June 2018, industries have to register all substances produced or imported in quantities of 1-100 tonnes/year.
The Commission published a new chemicals strategy for sustainability on 14 October 2020. It is part of the EU’s zero pollution ambition, which is a key commitment of the European Green Deal. The strategy includes a revision of the REACH Regulation, prohibiting the use of the most harmful chemicals in consumer products such as toys, childcare articles, cosmetics, detergents, food contact materials and textiles, unless proven to be essential for society, and ensuring that all chemicals are used more safely and sustainably.
On 20 January 2022, the Commission launched a public consultation on the REACH revision.
B. Classification, packaging and labelling
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP) was introduced to align the EU system to the UN Global Harmonised System (GHS) and to enhance the level of protection of human health and the environment. The earlier directives on dangerous substances and preparations were repealed in June 2015.
On 19 December 2022, the Commission proposed a revised regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (CLP) focusing on hazard communication, online sales and poison centre notifications. A delegated act (Regulation (EU) 2023/707) defining hazard classes, including endocrine disruptors, was adopted on 31 March 2023. A provisional agreement was reached on 5 December 2023 between Parliament and the Council on the revision of the CLP regulation. While improving the functioning of the EU market regarding products containing hazardous chemicals, the new measures will better protect consumers, workers, and the environment. The revised text will also accelerate the identification of hazardous substances and mixtures at EU level.
C. Export and import of dangerous substances
EU rules on the export and import of dangerous chemicals were defined in Regulation (EU) No 649/2012, which aimed to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts in the international movement of hazardous chemicals, and to implement the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. The PIC procedure consists of sharing information on toxic chemicals and awaiting a country’s explicit agreement before exporting the product in question. On August 25, 2023, the Commission published its Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1656 amending Regulation (EU) 649/2012, adding 35 additional hazardous chemicals to the EU’s PIC regulation.
D. Major accidents
Named after an Italian municipality which was contaminated by an accidental release of dioxin from a nearby industrial site in 1976, the Seveso Directive (82/501/EEC) aimed to prevent major accidents such as fires and explosions and to limit the consequences of those that do occur by requiring safety reports, emergency plans and the provision of information to the public. In 1996, the Seveso II Directive (96/82/EC) on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances introduced new requirements relating to safety management systems, emergency planning and land-use planning, and strengthened provisions on inspections carried out by Member States. In the light of a number of serious industrial accidents, and on the basis of studies on carcinogens and substances dangerous for the environment, the scope of the Seveso II Directive was extended by Directive 2003/105/EC. The Seveso III Directive 2012/18/EU was adopted in July 2012. It takes account of new UN-agreed international classifications of substances that allow better risk evaluation and handling of substances.
In September 2021, the Commission published a report on the implementation and efficient functioning of the Seveso III Directive showing that between 2015 and 2018, the number of major industrial accidents in the EU stabilised at a low level: 25 per year for 12 000 establishments.
E. Sustainable use of pesticides
Substances used to suppress, eradicate and prevent organisms that are considered harmful are grouped under the term ‘pesticides’. The term includes both plant protection products (PPPs) used on plants in agriculture, horticulture, parks and gardens, and biocidal products used in other applications, for example, as a disinfectant or to protect materials. In 2009, a Pesticides Package was adopted, consisting of: Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUD), aimed at reducing environmental and health risks while maintaining crop productivity and improving controls on the use and distribution of pesticides; Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 on the placing on the market of PPPs; and Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 concerning statistics on pesticides, which sets out rules for collecting information on the annual quantities of pesticides placed on the market and used in each Member State.
SUD required the Member States to adopt national action plans (NAPs) for the establishment of quantitative objectives, targets, measures and timetables in order to reduce the risks and impact of pesticide use for human health and the environment. An implementation report on the SUD of 25 May 2020 showed that fewer than one in three had completed the review of their NAPs within the five-year legal deadline (most of which have failed to address the weaknesses identified by the Commission in their initial NAPs).
Controversy has arisen since 2015 over the renewal of the approval of glyphosate - one of the active substances most commonly found in broad-spectrum herbicides in the world - as a result of diverging assessments of its carcinogenicity by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the ECHA. The Commission eventually renewed the approval of glyphosate for five years in December 2017 and on 19 September 2023, the Commission introduced a proposed regulation to extend the approval of glyphosate for another 10 years.
Under the European Green Deal and particularly its Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, the Commission will take actions to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030. To this end, on 22 June 2022 the Commission adopted the proposal to revise the SUD and promote the greater use of alternative ways to protect harvests from pests and diseases. However, the proposal for a regulation on the sustainable use of plant-protection products (SUR) was rejected by Parliament in November 2023, and in February 2024 the Commission withdrew the proposal in the face of advocacy efforts.
F. Biocidal products
Biocidal products such as antibacterial disinfectants and insect sprays are essential to manage harmful organisms affecting human and animal health. However, they can pose risks to humans, animals, and the environment. Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 simplified the authorisation mechanisms and enhanced the role of the ECHA in reviewing approval dossiers on the basis of stricter conditions. This sets controls over the marketing and use of biocides aimed at managing the associated risks to the environment and to human and animal health. These substances are authorised only if they appear on a positive list, while a ban applies to the most toxic chemicals. Pursuant to the mutual recognition principle, a substance authorised in one Member State may be used throughout the EU. Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 sets out scientific criteria for the determination of endocrine-disrupting properties of biocidal products, as well as PPPs.
G. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
POPs are chemical substances that persist in the environment because of their resistance to the various forms of degradation (chemical, biological, etc.). They bio-accumulate through the food chain and can have adverse effects on human health and the environment. This group of priority pollutants consists of pesticides (such as DDT), industrial chemicals (such as polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs) and unintentional by-products of industrial processes (such as dioxins and furans). The EU has committed itself at international level to controlling the handling, export and import of POPs, under the Aarhus POP Protocol (in force since 2003) and the Stockholm Convention on POPs (in force since 2004). The EU made additional progress with Regulation (EC) No 850/2004, which complements earlier EU legislation on POPs and aligns it with the provisions of the international agreements.
The recast Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 incorporates all of the amendments and corrigenda to the POPs Regulation up to 25 June 2019. The ‘unintentional trace contaminant’ limit is set at 10 mg/kg for substances listed in Annex I of the regulation. In 2021, the Commission adopted the proposal to review Annexes IV and V of the POPs Regulation, aiming to address the negative impact of the presence of certain POPs in waste and in material that could be recovered from it. As a consequence, better waste management should also minimise emissions of POPs to air, water and soil.
H. Asbestos
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is dangerous when inhaled. It was widely used in the past for insulation and other purposes, owing to its resistance to fire and heat. Directive 1999/77/EC enforced a ban on the use of asbestos and has been in place in the EU since 1 January 2005. Furthermore, the extraction, manufacturing and processing of asbestos products is prohibited under Directive 2003/18/EC, repealed by Directive 2009/148/EC, which also lays down removal programme strategies to be implemented by the Member States. On 28 September 2022, the Commission presented a comprehensive approach to better protect people and the environment from asbestos. The package includes a Communication on working towards an asbestos-free future and a proposal to amend the Asbestos at Work Directive.
I. Detergents
Detergents are any substances or preparations containing soaps and/or other surfactants intended for washing and cleaning processes. Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 harmonises the rules on the biodegradability restrictions and bans on surfactants, the information that manufacturers must provide, and the labelling of detergent ingredients. It was subsequently amended in 2006 (Regulation (EC) No 907/2006), 2009 (Regulation (EC) No 551/2009) and 2012 (Regulation (EU) No 259/2012), in order to introduce new biodegradability tests to provide an enhanced level of protection for the aquatic environment. In addition, the scope of the tests has been extended to include all classes of surfactants. On 28 April 2023 the Commission submitted a proposal to repeal Regulation (EC) 648/2004. Regarding labelling, Regulation (EC) No 907/2006 extends the rules to require manufacturers to disclose a full list of fragrance ingredients to medical practitioners treating patients suffering from allergies. As of 30 June 2013, the use of phosphates in laundry detergents has been banned and the content of other phosphorus-containing compounds has been limited.
Role of the European Parliament
Parliament played a key role in the development of the REACH Regulation. It ensured a targeted approach with regard to data requirements for existing substances produced at lower tonnages (1-10 tonnes), and the ‘one substance, one registration’ (OSOR) approach intended to minimise costs. Parliament also secured a requirement for companies to share data from tests conducted on animals to limit animal testing as much as possible. Furthermore, Parliament endorsed a stronger approach whereby all substances of very high concern may only be authorised if a suitable alternative or technology does not exist.
Amendments by Parliament to the pesticides package ensured the establishment of appropriately sized buffer zones for the protection of aquatic organisms, along with the introduction of protection measures for the most vulnerable groups. In 2013, Parliament called on the Commission to take determined action to preserve bee populations and adopted a resolution on asbestos related to occupational health threats and prospects for eliminating all existing asbestos.
Parliament’s decision of 6 February 2018 on setting up a special committee on the Union’s authorisation procedure for pesticides (PEST) is a response to concerns raised about the risk posed by the herbicide substance glyphosate.
On 16 January 2019, Parliament adopted the report from the PEST special committee, which concluded, inter alia, the following: the public should be granted access to studies used in the authorisation procedure; the EU’s framework should stimulate innovation and promote low-risk pesticides; scientific experts should review studies on the carcinogenicity of glyphosate; and data requirements for PPPs should include long-term toxicity.
On 10 July 2020, Parliament adopted a resolution outlining its priorities as regards the upcoming chemicals strategy for sustainability to develop coherence and synergies between chemicals legislation, occupational safety and health, and related EU legislation, including specific and general product legislation, legislation on water, soil and air, legislation on sources of pollution, including industrial installations, and legislation on waste.
For more information on this topic, please see the website of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).
Georgios Amanatidis / Filip Karan