News Details

On 2 March 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a targeted consultation to support a review of the harmonised hazard classification of glyphosate under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation. This consultation follows a mandate issued on 26 June 2025, which requested that ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) assess whether new scientific evidence could affect its previous opinion on the substance.

This request was made under Article 77 of the REACH Regulation, which enables ECHA’s Executive Director to request that RAC reassess earlier scientific conclusions when new information becomes available.

Review Triggered by New Carcinogenicity Study

The review has been triggered by a carcinogenicity study published on 10 June 2025 in the journal Environmental Health by Panzacchi et al., which examined the carcinogenic effects of long-term exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides. The study assessed Sprague–Dawley rats that were exposed to glyphosate from prenatal stages through to adulthood. According to the authors, the results showed increased incidences of certain tumours in the exposed animals.

To verify whether these findings could affect the conclusions reached in the RAC’s previous opinion on glyphosate, adopted in May 2022, the European Commission asked ECHA to request that the RAC evaluate the data presented in the publication. The current assessment is limited to the Panzacchi et al. study, although the findings will be considered in the context of carcinogenicity information previously assessed by RAC.

ECHA’s targeted consultation invites stakeholders to submit comments on the relevance, quality and results of the study in relation to the criteria for harmonised classification and labelling under the CLP Regulation.

Previous RAC Opinion and Current Regulatory Status

On 30 May 2022, the RAC adopted its opinion on the harmonised classification of glyphosate (ISO): N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (CAS No. 1071-83-6). The Committee concluded that the substance should retain its classification as:

• Eye Damage 1 (H318)
• Aquatic Chronic 2 (H411)

At that time, RAC determined that the available evidence did not warrant classification for carcinogenicity.

Glyphosate remains approved as an active substance in plant protection products in the European Union. In November 2023, the European Commission adopted Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2660 which renews the approval of glyphosate for a period of ten years, from 16 December 2023 until 15 December 2033.

Following the current review, RAC will adopt an opinion on whether the new evidence warrants reconsideration of glyphosate’s harmonised classification. Any amendment to Annex VI of the CLP Regulation would require action by the European Commission.