All Knowledge & Insights By Date

After February 5, 2027, companies wishing to benefit from the reduced fees for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SME) must apply for company size validation prior to submitting their Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) dossiers. This contrasts with the current process, where SME status is confirmed retrospectively, after registrations are submitted. Under the European Commission’s updated REACH Fee Regulation, SMEs planning to...

On February 10, 2026, EPPA, a Brussels-based regulatory and public affairs consultancy, will hold a webinar on “Shaping the ETS/CBAM Reforms: Strategic Insights for Energy-Intensive industries.” According to EPPA, as of 2026, both the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation will undergo significant design changes that will reshape the operating landscape for Europe’s energy-intensive...

The European Commission (EC) announced on December 9, 2025, that the Critical Chemicals Alliance will convene its first General Assembly on January 13, 2026, at the Chemelot Chemical Park in the Netherlands. According to the EC, the General Assembly will bring together European Union (EU) member states, regions, industry leaders, and all interested parties “to develop coordinated solutions to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry.” The Critical Chemicals...

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) appears to be headed for yet another full-year delay following growing political pressure, concerns about the readiness of the European Commission’s (EC) information technology (IT) systems, and intensifying industry warnings that the current December 30, 2025, compliance deadline is becoming increasingly unrealistic. While the EC has not yet officially postponed the implementation date, the signals coming out of Brussels are...

The European Commission (EC) announced on October 28, 2025, the launch of the Critical Chemicals Alliance (CCA). According to the EC, the CCA “stems directly from the Chemicals [Industry] Action Plan adopted in July 2025, which aims to boost the competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of Europe's chemical industry.” The CCA is intended to address key challenges facing the chemicals sector, “including the risk of plant closures, trade disruptions, and the urgent need for investment...

The European Commission (EC) began a public consultation on July 8, 2025, on a draft act that will establish rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles. According to the EC, this will provide legal clarity to European Union (EU) member states “so they can properly implement EU rules on single-use plastics,” helping to increase the use of recycled material in the EU economy and reduce plastic waste incineration and...

On June 23, 2025, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) published a Think Tank briefing entitled “Targeted scrutiny of the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability.” According to EPRS, while the European Commission (EC) has made progress in implementing initiatives outlined in the 2020 Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, certain key actions remain unfulfilled. These include revising the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation...

The Council of the European Union (EU) announced on June 12, 2025, that it reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament (EP) on the “one substance, one assessment” (OSOA) legislative package, “which aims to streamline assessments of chemicals across relevant EU legislation, strengthen the knowledge base on chemicals, and ensure early detection and action on emerging chemical risks.” The package contains three proposals: a directive concerning the re-attribution of...

The European Commission (EC) released on May 22, 2025, the identity of the countries that present a low or high risk of deforestation in producing seven commodities (cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood) that are “the most relevant in terms of driving global deforestation and forest degradation” under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The classification takes into account other criteria as listed in Article 29(4) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115. The...