The European Commission has shelved plans for a comprehensive REACH revision, but technical amendments remain possible. One initiative still under consideration is the Mixture Assessment Factor (MAF), which would address combined chemical exposure risks—a recognized gap in current EU chemical safety regulations.

On May 4, 2026, the European Commission ("Commission") published its report on the simplification of the revised EU Deforestation Regulation ("EUDR")...

The European Union's new hazard classes for chemical substances are nearing the end of their transitional period, with a critical deadline of 1 November 2026 for substances already in the market. These classifications cover endocrine disruption, persistent and bioaccumulative properties, and mobile toxic characteristics that will fundamentally change how companies must classify, label, and register chemical substances under REACH and CLP regulations.

The European Commission has finalized its simplification package for the EU Deforestation Regulation, introducing significant changes to product coverage and operational procedures. The package includes modifications to the list of regulated products, technical updates to the Information System, and multilingual guidance documentation. These developments represent the Commission's response to feedback from Member States and affected industries seeking more streamlined compliance processes.

The European Commission has proposed updates to the EU's Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation to align with recent UN Globally Harmonized System revisions. These amendments introduce new classification criteria for chemicals under pressure, revised precautionary statements, non-animal testing methods for health hazards, and updated provisions for skin-sensitising substances and atmospheric hazards, with adoption planned for Q4 2026.

The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to restructure the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), consolidating its expanded responsibilities under a unified legal framework separate from REACH regulations. The new rules aim to strengthen ECHA's governance structure, simplify its budget management, and establish clear conflict-of-interest protocols to maintain the agency's scientific credibility and operational efficiency.

The European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation brings sweeping changes to packaging standards across member states, replacing decades of flexible implementation with harmonized requirements. Companies placing packaging or packaged products on the EU market face new substance restrictions, including strict limits on heavy metals and PFAS in food-contact materials. Understanding these phased compliance deadlines and evolving chemical regulations is critical for manufacturers and importers opera

The European Commission has proposed significant revisions to the EU Emissions Trading System that would expand carbon pricing requirements to certain international aviation routes while maintaining exemptions for flights to major markets like the U.S. and China. Beginning in 2029, the proposal would subject commercial departures from European Economic Area airports to destinations within 5,000 km of Frankfurt to EU ETS requirements, alongside all private business jet operations, while simultaneously streng

May 2026 – The European Union's Directive (EU) 2024/825, commonly referred to as the Green Transition Directive (the "Directive")...

Advocate General Kokott has delivered a significant opinion recommending the annulment of provisions in the revised Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive that require pharmaceutical and cosmetics producers to finance 80% of quaternary wastewater treatment costs. While accepting the legitimacy of the polluter-pays principle, the AG concludes that the EU legislature failed to adequately substantiate the scientific basis for selecting these industries to bear such substantial financial burden.

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive proposal to revise the EU Emissions Trading System Directive, introducing significant changes including alignment with 2040 climate targets, integration of carbon removal mechanisms, and establishment of a EUR100 billion Industrial Decarbonisation Bank. The proposal extends the ETS scope to additional aviation routes, smaller maritime vessels, and municipal waste incineration while reforming free allocation rules and the Market Stability Reserve to balanc

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has fundamentally transformed packaging from a waste management issue into a comprehensive product compliance framework affecting manufacturers worldwide. Japanese exporters and other non-EU businesses must now navigate complex requirements spanning conformity documentation, extended producer responsibility, and supply chain obligations that vary by role and route to market.

The EU Packaging Regulation introduces sweeping reforms to packaging and packaging waste legislation across all Member States, establishing requirements for the entire lifecycle of packaging from labelling to environmental sustainability. With ambitious targets to reduce packaging waste per capita by 15% by 2040 and mandatory recyclability standards taking effect from 2030, businesses involved in product packaging face significant compliance obligations that will fundamentally reshape how they design, manuf