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News article25 April 2022Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs1 min read

Sustainable Chemicals: The Commission advances work on restrictions of harmful chemical substances

Today, the Commission published a Restrictions Roadmap, an important step forward to provide detailed information on all ongoing work on future restrictions under the EU chemical legislation.

The Roadmap prioritises group restrictions for the most harmful substances to human health and the environment as set out in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. In full respect of the prerogatives of EU countries under the REACH Regulation, the Restrictions Roadmap includes a rolling list of substances, which will become the basis for the multiannual planning under REACH. The rolling list will be regularly reviewed and updated ensuring a balance between needed flexibility and commitment to ensure progress.

Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “To fulfil the commitments under the Chemicals Strategy, stakeholders need transparency and visibility on the upcoming work. The Restrictions Roadmap provides such visibility, and allows companies and other stakeholders to be better prepared for potential upcoming restrictions”. 

Commissioner for Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: “These REACH restrictions aim to reduce exposure of people and the environment to some of the most harmful chemicals, addressing a wide range of their uses - industrial, professional, and in consumer products”.  

The Restrictions Roadmap is a deliverable under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability which calls for action towards a toxic-free environment and forms part of the European Green Deal. One of the actions foreseen by the Strategy is a revision of the REACH Regulation and other relevant product legislation to avoid that consumer and professional products contain the most harmful substances. The current Roadmap is needed to prioritise work before the new REACH Regulation rules enter into force.