European Commission Seeks Public Feedback on Amendment to POPs Regulation

The European Commission is seeking public feedback on a draft delegated regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, to include UV-328 in the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The aim of the Regulation is to protect human health and the environment by restricting or prohibiting the use of substances listed under the Stockholm Convention on POPs.

The draft Regulation is open for public feedback from 30 July to 27 August 2024. The Commission encourages public feedback, which will be taken into account when finalising the Regulation. Feedback can be submitted via the European Union’s official website.

Decision to Include UV-328

At the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (COP11) in May 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, it was decided to add UV-328 to Annex A of the Convention, with specific exemptions. This amendment requires the inclusion of UV-328 in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021. This decision is reflected in the draft Delegated Regulation.

UV-328 is a chemical compound widely used as a UV stabilizer in various plastic and rubber products to prevent degradation from ultraviolet light. Its full chemical name is 2-(2H-Benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-di-tert-pentylphenol (CAS No 25973-55-1).

Consultation Process to Date

The Commission consulted with experts from all Member States and relevant stakeholders, including the chemical industry and civil society, at meetings held on 14 June 2023, 29 November 2023 and 7 June 2024. In addition, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) conducted a call for information from 31 May to 18 August 2023. Feedback highlighted the need for specific exemptions for articles containing UV-328 imported into the Union.

Proposed Exemptions and Restrictions

The proposed Regulation includes specific exemptions for the use of UV-328 in certain articles, such as mechanical separators in blood collection tubes, polarisers, photographic paper and spare parts for land-based motor vehicles. These exemptions are intended to allow the continued import and use of these articles until suitable alternatives are found. A limit of 1 mg/kg is also proposed for UV-328 as an unintentional trace contaminant in substances, mixtures and articles. Details of the exemptions can be found in the Annex to the draft Delegated Regulation here.

Next Steps

The Regulation will enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and will apply from 26 February 2025.

For more details and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the European Commission's official website here