On 14 July 2025, the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a public consultation on extending the transitional registration deadlines under the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) regime. The consultation runs from 14 July to 8 September 2025. The aim is to give industry more time to prepare for compliance while ensuring continuity in chemical regulation.
Key points
UK REACH requires companies to register substances placed on the GB market in quantities above 1 tonne per annum. The exact information to be submitted will be set out in the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). Detailed design work on ATRm is still under way, so the final data requirements cannot yet be confirmed. However, they are not expected to go beyond the scope outlined in the 2024 ATRm consultation.
Because this design work is ongoing, legislative changes cannot be completed before the first statutory deadline (October 2026) with a workable transition period. Defra therefore needs to consult on revised transitional registration deadlines.
Three options are proposed:
- Option 1 (preferred): October 2029, October 2030, October 2031
- Option 2: April 2029, April 2031, April 2033
- Option 3: April 2029, April 2030, April 2031
Call for evidence
Stakeholders—including manufacturers, importers, downstream users and NGOs—are invited to comment by 8 September 2025 via Defra’s Citizen Space portal, e-mail or post.
Defra stresses that the proposals have been assessed against the UK REACH Article 1 statement of consistency and remain aligned with core objectives such as protecting health and the environment and promoting innovation. The final decision will reflect both consultation responses and progress on ATRm development.
Accompanying documents
The consultation is supported by three documents:
1. UK REACH Consultation Letter
Formal invitation issued on 14 July 2025 seeking views on extending both registration and compliance-check deadlines beyond the current 2026/2028/2030 timetable. Feedback can be submitted until 8 September 2025; responses may be released under the Freedom of Information Act unless confidentiality is requested.
2. Article 1 Consistency Statement
A statutory statement required by the Environment Act 2021, explaining how the proposed extension aligns with UK REACH’s objectives: protecting human health and the environment, promoting non-animal testing, enhancing competitiveness and innovation, ensuring producer responsibility, and applying the precautionary principle. The extension is justified by the need to finalise ATRm and allow sufficient preparation time; any interim data gaps can be mitigated through EU REACH data, safety data sheets and other legislation.
3. UK REACH Consultation on Transitional Registration Deadlines Extension
Provides policy background, options and impact assessment. Key sections:
- Context – Brexit severed automatic access to EU data, necessitating fresh registrations; ATRm delays make existing deadlines impractical.
- Options – Three extension schedules (see above) plus a “do-nothing” baseline.
- Impacts – Temporary reduction in HSE’s data completeness is offset by reliance on EU data and other regulations; Option 1 best balances preparation time with regulatory needs.
- Questions – Stakeholders are asked to rank the options, estimate costs, and comment on synchronising compliance-check deadlines.
Further Information
Consultation on Extending the UK REACH Transitional Registration Submission Deadlines
