The Commission Establishes Rules for Identifying Endocrine Disruptors and Long-Lasting Chemicals and for Improving Labeling

The Commission proposed a revised regulation on the classification, labeling, and packaging of chemical products (CLP) and established new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors and other harmful chemicals, aiming to better protect people and the environment from dangerous chemical products.
The revised regulation clarifies the rules for labeling and for chemical products sold online. As a result, this will facilitate businesses, including SMEs, and the free movement of substances and mixtures at the EU level.
Additionally, the Commission issued a delegated act to establish new hazard classes, within the framework of the CLP regulation, for endocrine disruptors, as well as for chemicals that do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in living organisms or risk entering and spreading throughout the water cycle.
The new hazard classes are the result of extensive scientific discussions and will provide easier access to information for all users of these chemical products, especially consumers, workers, and businesses. They could allow for further action to address and mitigate the risks from substances and mixtures within the framework of other subsequent EU legislation, such as the REACH regulation, while taking into account socioeconomic impacts.
Furthermore, the legislative proposal to amend the CLP regulation provides for: Better and faster procedures for all involved regarding information on the hazards of chemical products placed on the EU market · Improved information on chemical hazards, including through the internet, with simpler and clearer labeling and advertising requirements. Among these, the proposal establishes a minimum font size for chemical product labels · The Commission’s right to develop classification proposals for potentially dangerous substances, beyond member states and industry. This will accelerate the rate at which dangerous substances are identified · For the first time, specific rules for refillable chemical products, so that consumers can buy and use chemical products, such as household care products, sold in bulk safely.
The revision of the CLP regulation will enhance the protection of human health and the environment. Although companies may need to invest to comply with the new rules, they will benefit from easier access to updated information on chemical hazards and from simplified labeling rules. SMEs, in particular, will benefit from the latter.
The revision of the CLP regulation will promote the transition of European industry businesses, including SMEs, to sustainable chemical products and support them in becoming global leaders in future-proof chemistry. The revision of the CLP regulation, along with the planned revision of the REACH regulation, is an important deliverable of the strategy for the sustainability of chemical products, which is a key building block of the European Green Deal.
The aim of the CLP regulation is to ensure a high level of protection for health and the environment, as well as the free movement of substances, mixtures, and articles. It requires manufacturers, importers, or downstream users of substances or mixtures to classify, label, and package their hazardous chemical products appropriately before placing them on the market. The CLP regulation establishes legally binding rules for identifying and classifying hazards. It establishes common rules on labeling for consumers and workers, so they can make informed decisions when buying or using hazardous products.
The CLP regulation provides the basis for many legislative provisions regarding the risk management of chemical products. The CLP regulation determines whether a substance or mixture should be classified and labeled as hazardous. It implements the United Nations Globally Harmonized System (GHS) in the EU.
As part of the EU strategy for the sustainability of chemical products, a consolidation and simplification of the EU regulatory system regarding endocrine disruptors was requested, including new hazard classes and criteria for identifying endocrine disruptors in the CLP regulation, to also enable appropriate regulation of these substances, including in consumer products.