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ARTICLE · 06 APRIL 2026

PFAS In The EU: A Regulatory Turning Point

A&O Shearman
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On March 26, 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a 60-day public consultation on the draft opinion of its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) on the proposal restriction to per-...

European UnionEnvironment
Gauthier van Thuyne
Gauthier van Thuyne
Dr. Udo Herbert Olgemöller
Dr. Udo Herbert Olgemöller
Caroline Schmidt
Caroline Schmidt
Maike Hölscher
Maike Hölscher
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On March 26, 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a 60-day public consultation on the draft opinion of its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) on the proposal restriction to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH),1 making a decisive step in what is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious chemicals regulatory initiatives to date.

This development follows the adoption by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) of its final opinion on March 3, 2026,1 on the proposed PFAS restriction concluding that PFAS pose an EU-wide risk that justifies restriction.1

Together, these steps signal that the process has moved beyond scientific risk assessment into a phase of regulatory and policy calibration, in which stakeholders are invited to provide evidence on key issues such as the availability of alternatives, the need for derogations and appropriate transitions.2

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