REACH
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
The world's most comprehensive chemicals regulation. REACH governs every chemical substance manufactured in or imported into the European Union -- from industrial solvents to substances embedded in consumer articles. No data, no market.
REACH is the EU's master regulation for chemical safety. If your company manufactures, imports, or uses chemical substances in Europe -- or sells products that contain them -- REACH almost certainly applies to you. The rule is straightforward: no safety data, no market access. Every chemical substance produced or brought into the EU above one tonne per year must be registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki, complete with data proving it can be handled safely.
The regulation works on a sliding scale of control. Most substances just need registration. Substances flagged as especially dangerous -- carcinogens, substances that persist in the environment, endocrine disruptors -- get placed on the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (currently 247 substances). From there, the worst offenders can be moved to the Authorisation List, meaning companies must obtain explicit permission for each specific use or stop using them entirely. And for substances posing broad risks, REACH can impose outright restrictions or bans that apply to everyone.
The biggest regulatory development right now is the proposed universal restriction on PFAS -- a family of roughly 10,000 synthetic "forever chemicals" used in everything from non-stick coatings to firefighting foam to semiconductor manufacturing. Five European countries submitted the restriction proposal to ECHA in January 2023. If adopted, it would be the largest substance restriction in EU history, with transition periods ranging from 18 months to 12 years depending on the sector.
REACH is not a one-time filing. The Candidate List is updated twice a year. New restrictions are adopted regularly. Companies must track their substances, update safety data sheets, notify the SCIP waste database, and communicate hazard information up and down their supply chains. A major revision of the regulation is also underway, expected to extend registration requirements to polymers and introduce an "essential use" concept that would further limit how hazardous chemicals can be used.
REACH -- Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals -- is the cornerstone of EU chemicals policy. Adopted in 2006 and in force since June 2007, it replaced a patchwork of over 40 directives and regulations with a single, directly applicable framework that governs every chemical substance manufactured in or imported into the European Union above one tonne per year. It is administered by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki, which manages the world's largest chemicals database.
The regulation's foundational principle -- "no data, no market" -- reverses the burden of proof that existed under previous legislation. Instead of regulators having to prove that a substance is dangerous before restricting it, industry must demonstrate that a substance can be used safely before placing it on the market. This shift has generated an unprecedented volume of substance safety data, with over 23,000 unique substances registered and their safety profiles publicly accessible.
REACH operates through four interconnected processes. Registration requires manufacturers and importers to submit technical dossiers to ECHA. Evaluation allows ECHA and Member States to scrutinise registration data and request additional information. Authorisation targets the most hazardous substances -- substances of very high concern (SVHCs) -- by requiring companies to obtain specific permission for their use or to substitute them with safer alternatives. Restriction provides a safety net for substances posing unacceptable Union-wide risks, with Annex XVII listing over 72 restriction entries covering hundreds of individual substances.
The regulation is undergoing its most significant evolution since adoption. The European Commission's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, adopted in October 2020, initiated a comprehensive REACH revision that aims to extend registration to polymers, introduce the "essential use" concept, implement the "one substance, one assessment" principle, and add a mixture assessment factor to account for combined exposure. Meanwhile, the PFAS universal restriction proposal -- covering approximately 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances -- represents the broadest restriction ever attempted under REACH, with potential impacts across nearly every industrial sector.
For businesses, REACH is not a one-time compliance exercise. It is a continuous, living obligation. The Candidate List is updated twice per year. New restrictions are adopted regularly. Authorisation sunset dates approach and pass. The SCIP database requires ongoing notification of articles containing SVHCs. And the forthcoming REACH revision will expand obligations further. Companies that treat REACH as a static checkbox rather than a dynamic regulatory programme are increasingly exposed to supply chain disruptions, market access loss, and enforcement action.
REACH is built on four interconnected regulatory processes. Select a pillar to explore.
Registration -- No Data, No Market
REACH reverses the burden of proof: manufacturers and importers must demonstrate that substances are safe before placing them on the market. Every chemical substance manufactured in or imported into the EU above 1 tonne per year must be registered with ECHA. Registration requires a technical dossier containing the substance's intrinsic properties, uses, classification, and guidance on safe handling. For quantities above 10 tonnes/year, a Chemical Safety Report (CSR) is also mandatory.
- 23,000+ unique substances registered with ECHA since 2010
- Registration dossier must include: substance identity, physicochemical properties, toxicological data, ecotoxicological data, and exposure assessment
- Chemical Safety Report (CSR) required for substances above 10 tonnes/year, covering risk assessment for all identified uses
- Only Representatives (OR) can register on behalf of non-EU manufacturers -- importers of articles do not register
- ECHA performs completeness checks within 3 weeks and can request additional information under evaluation
- Registration numbers are substance-specific, not company-specific -- SIEF and consortium approaches reduce costs
How a substance moves from initial concern to market restriction. Click a step for details.
A Member State or ECHA (at the Commission's request) prepares an Annex XV dossier proposing that a substance meets one or more SVHC criteria: CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic), PBT/vPvB, or equivalent level of concern (e.g., endocrine disruptor).
Public consultation period of 45 days. If no objections, substance is added to Candidate List. If disputed, referred to Member State Committee for unanimous agreement or Commission decision.
The broadest restriction proposal in REACH history. Approximately 10,000 substances, affecting nearly every industrial sector.
ECHA is the central hub of EU chemicals regulation. Its role under REACH extends across every pillar.
REACH creates extensive communication obligations up and down the supply chain.
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is the primary vehicle for communicating substance hazards and safe handling down the supply chain. REACH mandates a standardised 16-section format aligned with the UN GHS.
From adoption to the PFAS restriction and beyond. Click a milestone for details.
Select your company type for tailored compliance guidance.
REACH is the backbone of EU chemicals policy. It interfaces with nearly every product and environmental regulation.