European-union Regulatory News

On 15 September 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) confirmed that its Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) is expected to agree on a draft opinion regarding the EU-wide restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in March 2026. A 60-day public consultation will then open in spring 2026, focusing on socio-economic considerations.

September 2025 Committee Discussions on PFAS

At their September 2025 meetings, ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and SEAC advanced work on the PFAS restriction proposal. Key topics under discussion included:

• Concentration limits and thresholds: determining levels above which PFAS would be restricted.
• Manufacturing and emissions control: assessing how PFAS are produced and how releases could be managed across sectors.
• Horizontal measures: examining approaches that apply broadly across industries instead of detailed sector-by-sector rules.

The committees noted that these issues will continue to be addressed in upcoming meetings to prepare the ground for their final opinions.

Plans for Upcoming Meetings

The committees also outlined their PFAS-related agenda for the coming months:

• December 2025:
  • Electronics and semiconductors (SEAC)
  • PFAS manufacturing (RAC and SEAC)
  • Horizontal issues (RAC and SEAC)
• March 2026:
  • Final discussion and adoption of RAC’s opinion
  • Discussion and agreement on SEAC’s draft opinion, to be released for consultation

Next Steps in the Restriction Process

• Spring 2026: Launch of the 60-day consultation on SEAC’s draft opinion.
• End of 2026: Both RAC and SEAC aim to finalise their opinions, which will form the basis for the European Commission’s decision on the proposed PFAS restriction under REACH.

The upcoming consultation will follow a structured format, providing stakeholders from industry, NGOs, and the public with an opportunity to contribute evidence and views on the socio-economic impacts of the proposed PFAS restriction.