Moldova Publishes REACH and CLP Amendments to Chemicals Law
Reference source : Moldovan Government
Moldova has published Law No. 219/2026, which amends Law No. 277/2018 on chemical substances. The amendments are intended to strengthen the country’s chemical safety framework and further align it with European Union requirements. The law was published in Official Gazette No. 516–519 on 20 October 2026, following its promulgation by Presidential Decree No. 819-X.
The amendments partially transpose provisions from the European Union’s REACH and CLP Regulations, as well as legislation concerning prior informed consent, detergents and biocidal products. This follows the adoption of Moldova’s separate regulations on the classification, labelling and packaging and REACH-style chemical restrictions.
Supply Chain and CLP Obligations
The law introduces more detailed responsibilities for manufacturers, importers, distributors and downstream users. These include requirements concerning chemical safety assessments, exposure scenarios, Safety Data Sheets and the communication of information throughout the supply chain.
Manufacturers, importers and downstream users must classify substances and mixtures before placing them on the market, while suppliers must ensure that hazardous products are correctly labelled and packaged. Importers and downstream users placing certain hazardous mixtures on the market must also provide the National Agency for Public Health with the information needed for emergency health responses.
The notification obligation also applies to distributors that relabel hazardous mixtures or change their brand unless they can demonstrate that the same information has already been submitted.
Record Keeping and Chemical Authorisations
Manufacturers, importers, downstream users and distributors must retain information demonstrating compliance for at least ten years after the last time they manufactured, imported, supplied or used a substance or mixture. Suppliers must retain information used for classification and labelling for the same period.
The law also revises Moldova’s authorisation system for substances that present a major risk to human health or the environment. The Government must approve and update a list of these substances in response to changes at European Union level.
Authorisations for listed substances will be valid for five years. The standard authorisation procedure may take up to nine months and carries a fee of MDL 5,000. The amendments also revise the procedures applicable to plant protection products, fertilisers and biocidal products.
Phased Entry into Force
Most provisions of Law No. 219/2026 will enter into force nine months after publication, on 20 July 2027. The ten-year record-keeping requirements will apply 12 months later, on 20 July 2028.
