PURPOSE: to revise Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation) to improve the single market for chemicals.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.
CONTENT: this CLP regulation updates the existing 2008 EU legislation. This update has become necessary due to the popularisation of new forms of trade (such as online shopping or the reuse of containers for bulk purchases) as well as the emergence of new hazards linked to the use of chemicals (in particular the presence of endocrine disruptors or the long shelf life of certain substances).
Therefore, this regulation adapts the CLP regulation to different forms of trade (such as online trade or trade in refill products), promotes the circularity of the chemical products, makes labels clearer and easier to understand (including digital labelling), and ensures a high level of protection against chemical hazards.
Scope
The regulation will apply to all solid-state chemicals, although there will be a five-year derogation for substances with more than one constituent of botanical origin which have not been chemically modified. Once that period expires, the Commission can propose new legislation based on latest scientific knowledge.
The regulation aligns different provisions concerning new hazard classes to avoid duplication with ongoing assessments that are currently conducted under different legislation.
Updated information on the hazards of chemicals
The newly adopted revision of the CLP regulation facilitates the reporting on new hazards related to chemicals that are placed on the market and gives the Commission and the other stakeholders new powers to classify harmful substances and accelerate their identification.
Faster and more tailored procedures will enable all stakeholders to provide information on the hazards of chemicals placed on the EU market.
Labelling and advertising
The regulation requires that most chemical products bear a physical label while the digital label may also be an option for suppliers. It also introduces measures to make the labels clearer and easier to read in particular for people with sight difficulties. For certain products, the supplier can provide digital-only data, although a consumer can always request a physical copy of the product information.
Labels should be firmly affixed to one or more surfaces of the packaging immediately containing the substance or mixture and should be readable horizontally when the package is set down normally. The label may be presented in the form of a fold-out label.
Any advertisement for a substance classified as hazardous should indicate, as applicable, the hazard pictograms, signal word, hazard statements. Any advertisement for a substance for sale to the general public should in addition state: “Always read and follow the information on the product label.”.
Refillable chemical products
The regulation introduces specific rules for refillable chemical products, so consumers can safely buy and use chemical products, such as home care chemicals, sold in bulk.
For products purchased in refill stations, the regulation aims to reduce the associated risks, for example by preventing overfilling, contamination and especially any uncontrolled operation of the refill station by children.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 10.12.2024.