On April 27, 2026, EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall confirmed before the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) that the comprehensive revision of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation would be cancelled. The EU REACH comprehensive revision plan (REACH 2.0), which had been in preparation for nearly six years and attracted global attention from the chemical industry, was officially shelved, granting the chemical industry a temporary "regulatory breathing space."
Meeting Contents
During the ENVI meeting, Roswall revealed that the much-anticipated proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is expected to be unveiled by the end of this year. She then made a clear statement regarding the comprehensive revision of REACH: "Now is not the time to revise REACH," stating that Europe is "in a phase that needs certainty and predictability."
Although the comprehensive revision has been abandoned, Roswall emphasized that legislators will instead focus on the "simplification and modernization" of existing provisions. The European Commission can make technical adjustments to REACH through "comitology" procedures without going through the co-legislative process of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Additionally, Roswall stated that the Commission will strengthen controls at borders and in the market, enforcing compliance against non-compliant products and substances.
Background of REACH 2.0
Revision The REACH 2.0 revision was initially proposed in 2020 as an important component of the EU's "European Green Deal" under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, aiming to carry out a systematic overhaul of the current regulation. According to previously disclosed plans, key reform directions included:
- Registration System Overhaul: Setting a 10-year registration validity period; substances of very high concern (SVHCs) would need to resubmit dossiers; polymers would require notification or registration based on tonnage.
- Enhanced Evaluation and Compliance: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) would be empowered to revoke non-compliant registrations and prioritize the evaluation of similar substances.
- Streamlined Authorization Procedures: Introducing the concept of "essential use" and optimizing the use of the Candidate List.
- Targeted Restriction Procedures: Improving risk ranking and expanding the management of hazard categories.
- Upgraded Enforcement and Market Surveillance: Adding EU audit powers, strengthening customs controls, and cross-border investigations.
- Digital Supply Chain Advancement: Adopting electronic safety data sheets (e-SDS) and digital product passports to reduce administrative burdens.
However, this ambitious reform plan consistently faced significant resistance. In September 2025, the EU Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) issued a negative opinion on the REACH 2.0 revision proposal's impact assessment. In November of the same year, an internal Commission planning document (SEC(2025) 2543) already excluded REACH revision from the agenda.
Reasons for REACH 2.0 Being Shelved
- RSB Issued a Negative Opinion on the REACH 2.0 Revision Proposal:
- First, insufficient health and environmental risk management: key hazard category information was missing from chemical dossiers; use and exposure data were incomplete; polymer risks were not adequately addressed; chemical safety assessments failed to cover all risks.
- Second, inefficient regulatory procedures: new restriction regulations were introduced too slowly; the authorization process was lengthy and did not effectively promote alternatives; the decision-making process lacked efficiency.
- Third, compliance and enforcement loopholes: registration dossiers did not meet REACH requirements; enforcement efforts varied among Member States; the compliance of imported goods (especially those sold online) was concerning.
- Strong Opposition from the European Chemical Industry and Competitiveness Concerns: The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) explicitly opposed the revision, arguing that "competitiveness needs breathing space, not another round of regulatory shock." In recent years, the European chemical industry has suffered from high energy costs and global cheap competition, with industry profits under pressure. As Europe's largest chemical producer, the German government explicitly opposed any REACH revision in a report dated March 26, 2026, arguing that under the current economic and geopolitical environment, revision would have "negative chain reactions" on competitiveness.
CgemRadar Insights
Comprehensive Assessment — Based on available information, the EU has not announced a "permanent abandonment" of all REACH reforms. Rather, it has clearly stated that it will not restart a comprehensive REACH revision at this stage. The "major overhaul version of REACH" that had attracted widespread attention has been shelved. Future policy pathways will be characterized more by simplification, modernization, targeted technical updates, and strengthened enforcement.
Although companies currently do not need to cope with disruptive requirements such as "10-year validity periods" and comprehensive polymer registration, the EU's trend of strengthening existing enforcement through simplified procedures and technical annex adjustments will continue. Meanwhile, restriction actions on specific substances such as PFAS are accelerating.
Corporate Response Analysis
- Confirm whether your company's existing REACH registration dossiers and supply chain information are complete, traceable, and consistent with the latest uses.
- Continue to monitor ECHA developments regarding restrictions, authorizations, SVHCs, and PFAS to ensure products comply with the latest regulatory requirements and strive for product updates and iterations.
- Enhance your company's responsiveness to EU official border controls, market spot checks, and customer compliance inquiries.
CIRS Group will continue to monitor the latest REACH revision developments and provide timely compliance support for enterprises.
Further Information
