On 16 July 2026, the UK government officially published the REACH (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 (Statutory Instrument 2026 No. 849), extending the final deadlines for chemical registration compliance checks and information submission to 2029/2030/2031. The regulation will enter into force on 6 August 2026 and applies to England, Wales, and Scotland. CIRS Group provides the following interpretation based on the revised statutory instrument.
Background
Following Brexit in 2020, the UK (GB—England, Scotland, and Wales) established "UK REACH" based on EU REACH, while Northern Ireland continues to apply EU REACH. The original UK REACH transitional registration deadlines were 2023/2025/2027; in 2023, they were collectively extended by three years (to 2026/2028/2030) due to data cost disputes. The government is designing an "Alternative Transitional Registration Model (ATRm)" to further reduce costs, but the legislation has not yet been completed. With the first-round deadline of October 2026 less than two years away, companies did not have sufficient time to prepare, necessitating another extension. In December 2025, Defra published a summary report on the proposal to "Extend UK REACH Transitional Registration Deadlines," further deferring the final deadlines for UK REACH transitional registration.
Key Amendments
After the revised regulation officially takes effect (6 August 2026), the deadlines for completing the transitional registration procedure are as follows:
|
Batch |
Substance Type |
Original Deadline |
New Deadline |
|
Batch 1 |
Substances listed on the EU SVHC list before UK REACH came into force (31 December 2020); |
27 October 2026 |
27 October 2029 |
|
Batch 2 |
Substances listed on the UK SVHC list before the previous submission deadline (October 2029); |
27 October 2028 |
27 October 2030 |
|
Batch 3 |
All substances manufactured or imported at ≥1 tonne per year |
27 October 2030 |
27 October 2031 |
In addition, the regulation amends Article 41(5) (minimum review proportion requirements), extending the deadlines for the minimum review proportion across all three batches:
|
Batch |
Minimum Review Proportion |
Original Deadline |
New Deadline |
|
Batch 1 |
≥20% |
27 October 2027 |
27 October 2030 |
|
Batch 2 |
≥20% |
27 October 2030 |
27 October 2032 |
|
Batch 3 |
≥20% |
27 October 2035 |
27 October 2036 |
ChemRadar Insights
This amendment extends the deadlines for chemical registration compliance checks, giving companies more ample time to prepare and submit the required information. Although the overall deadlines have been extended, high-hazard and high-tonnage substances still need to be prioritised. Industries relying on chemical imports and usage—such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing—need to collaborate with their supply chains, communicate upstream and downstream, and ensure that all stages meet UK REACH requirements to reduce the risk of trade disruption caused by incomplete registrations.
Our Services
- UK-based OR (Only Representative) appointment services
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Further information
