Regulation (EU) 2024/2865

What it is

PURPOSE: to amend Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures to improve the single market for chemicals. PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: the EU has overall been successful in creating an efficient single market for chemicals. However, some weaknesses or gaps in Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (‘CLP Regulation’) prevent consumers, companies, and authorities from fully benefiting from protection against the dangers posed by hazardous chemicals. The European Parliament adopted by 519 votes to 99, with 8 abstentions, amendments to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. The matter was referred back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations. The purpose of the regulation is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment, including the promotion of alternative methods for assessing the hazards of substances and mixtures. Hazardous substances and mixtures and specification of hazard classes Members specified that gender differences with regard to the susceptibility to chemicals will be taken into consideration, where relevant. For the evaluation of substances containing more than one constituent in relation to the ‘germ cell mutagenicity’, ‘carcinogenicity’, ‘reproductive toxicity’, ‘ endocrine disruption for human health’ and ‘endocrine disruption for the environment’ hazard classes, the manufacturer, importer or downstream user should use the relevant available information for each of the known individual constituents, impurities and additives in the substance. Identification and examination of available information on mixtures An amendment specifies that where the available test data on the mixture itself demonstrate a lack of biodegradation, persistency, mobility and bioaccumulation properties that have not been identified from the relevant available information on the individual substance, such data should also be taken into account for the purpose of evaluating the mixture. The product identifier of a mixture should include the identity of all substances in the mixture that contribute to the classification of the mixture as regards acute toxicity, skin corrosion or serious eye damage, germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption for human health, endocrine disruption for the environment, respiratory or skin sensitisation, specific target organ toxicity (STOT) or aspiration hazard, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT), very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB), persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT), very persistent, very mobile (vPvM) properties. Labels should be firmly affixed to one or more surfaces of the packaging…

Official title: Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (Text with EEA relevance)