The United Nations developed a Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, known as GHS. As an international agreement, GHS is non-legally binding in Europe, therefore the GHS criteria was introduced into Europe via CLP.
EU CLP stands for the Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 – classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP). CLP introduces the United Nations globally harmonized system (UN GHS) for classification and labeling of chemicals into Europe. CLP entered into force on January 20, 2009.
On November 13, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released the Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria on its official website. Unlike the single document versions released from 2009 to 2024, the new guidance is split into five separate document, covering overview, general principles for classification and labeling, physical hazards, health hazards, environmental hazards and other hazards.
On March 31, 2023, European Commission has released the amendments to the Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 as regards hazard classes and criteria for the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP), introducing several new classification criteria to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and persistent and mobile substances.
The Transitional Period of CLP Regulation
The CLP Regulation replaced the Dangerous Substances Directive 67/548/EEC (DSD) and Dangerous Preparations Directive 1999/45/EC (DPD) in a stepwise approach during a transitional period. After June 1, 2015, both substances and mixtures have only been classified according to CLP.
| Key dates | For substance | For mixtures | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classification | Labeling and Packaging | Classification | Labeling and Packaging | |
| From January 20, 2009, until December 1, 2010. | In accordance with DSD; CLP is optional. | In accordance with DSD; if a substance is classified under CLP, it shall be labeled ad packaged under CLP. | In accordance with DPD; CLP is optional | In accordance with DPD; if s mixture is classified under CLP, it shall be labeled and packaged under CLP |
| From December 1, 2010, until June 1, 2015. | In accordance with both DSD and CLP. | In accordance with CLP only. | In accordance with DPD; CLP is optional. | In accordance with DPD; if a mixture is classified under CLP, it shall be labeled and packaged under CLP. |
| From June 1, 2015. | In accordance with CLP only. | In accordance with CLP only. | In accordance with CLP only. | In accordance with CLP only. |
How to Comply with CLP Regulation
The CLP Regulation, Article 46, on Enforcement and Reporting, states that “Member States shall take all necessary measures, including maintaining a system of official controls, to ensure that substances and mixtures are not placed on the market, unless they have been classified, labelled, notified and packaged in accordance with this Regulation”.
Generally speaking, companies shall classify substances or mixtures, submit C&L notifications to ECHA, and label and package their products in accordance with the CLP regulation. A CLP-compliant Safety Data Sheet containing the CLP classification and label must also be prepared and communicated to downstream users.
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Re-classification and re-labeling of your substances or mixtures;
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Preparation of CLP-compliant labels;
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Notification to the Classification & Labeling Inventory (C&L notification);
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Preparation of Safety Data Sheets in accordance with CLP in member state languages;
