REACH Fee Update Approved by EU

The European Commission has secured a positive opinion from the REACH Committee on a draft implementing regulation that revises the fees and charges payable to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under Regulation (EC) No 340/2008. This long-anticipated update reflects economic and operational changes and aims to improve fairness and efficiency across the EU chemicals industry.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is the EU’s core chemical safety regulation. Regulation (EC) No 340/2008 currently outlines the fee structure for companies registering chemical substances with ECHA.

The newly proposed amendment modernizes the fee system in response to:

• Inflation and increased administrative overheads
• Digitalization of regulatory services
• Support for SMEs and innovation-driven enterprises

Key Timeline

Committee Consultation: July 24 – August 29, 2025
Positive Opinion Issued: August 30, 2025
Commission Adoption: Expected Q4 2025
Entry into Force: Upon publication in the EU Official Journal

What’s Changing?

The update includes several notable amendments:

🧾 Revised Fee Categories

• Adjusted fees for registrations, updates, and authorisation applications.
• Categories now better reflect current workloads and digital efficiencies.

📉 SME Discounts

• Enhanced discounts for SMEs, scaled by company size and annual turnover.
• Simplified classification criteria to ensure broader eligibility.

💻 Digital Payment Procedures

• Fully integrated payment through ECHA’s digital portal.
• Automated invoice generation and refund processing.

🧾 Clarified Exemptions and Refunds

• Clearer rules on when exemptions apply and under what conditions partial refunds are permitted.

Legal and Administrative Framework

• Committee Code: C34200
• Legal Basis: Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
• Procedure Type: Examination (Articles 5–7)
• Responsible Body: DG Environment (DG ENV)

What’s Next for Stakeholders?

As the Commission moves toward formal adoption in Q4 2025, industry stakeholders should prepare now:

• Budget adjustments for upcoming REACH submissions
• Review of SME classification to ensure eligibility for discounts
• Familiarization with new ECHA digital tools and payment interfaces
• Monitoring for updates to the ECHA fee calculator and guidance documents

These changes are expected to enhance transparency, streamline administrative processes, and support a more equitable regulatory environment.