ECHA CHEM Adds Regulatory Data

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) officially released the third expansion of ECHA CHEM, its public-facing chemicals database, under reference number ECHA/NR/25/29. This major update significantly improves access to regulatory data on chemical substances across the European Union, supporting transparency and informed decision-making.

A Milestone in Chemical Transparency

ECHA CHEM is the EU’s most comprehensive chemicals database. With this latest expansion, it now includes regulatory activity overviews and their outcomes, offering deeper insight into how chemicals are managed and restricted within the EU. This integration allows companies, researchers, and the public to track regulatory actions, participate in public consultations, and align with evolving chemical safety rules.

According to Peter van der Zandt, ECHA’s Director of Risk Management:

“Transparency and predictability of the EU’s regulatory activities are a cornerstone of well-functioning chemicals regulation. We have now made this regulatory information available in a consistent manner and in a more user-friendly format.”

Key Regulatory Areas Covered

The update introduces detailed data from multiple legal frameworks under ECHA’s jurisdiction, including:

1. REACH Regulation

• Substances restricted under REACH, with details on restriction processes.
• The Authorisation List and ECHA’s recommendations for adding new substances.
• The Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC).
• Evaluation data for dossiers and substances assessing compliance and safety.

2. Drinking Water Directive (DWD)

• European Positive Lists (EUPL) for approved substances in contact with drinking water.

3. Classification Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation

• Harmonised classification and labelling data from Annex VI.
• Process details for new CLH proposals and classifications.

4. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation

• Lists of substances already regulated or proposed for inclusion under POPs.

Supporting Stakeholders and Compliance

By including regulatory outcomes and active processes in ECHA CHEM, the agency offers greater visibility into EU chemical management. This empowers stakeholders to:

• Align their compliance strategies.
• Anticipate regulatory shifts.
• Contribute feedback during regulatory consultations.

The unified format and simplified interface also ensure that this information is easier to interpret and use.

Transition Plan and Continued Access

The new data is now live on ECHA CHEM, while legacy data (except for the new DWD Positive Lists) will remain temporarily available through ECHA’s “Search for Chemicals” section. These older platforms will be phased out gradually as ECHA CHEM becomes the central source for all chemical safety data.