ECHA Will Hold Webinars to Assist SMEs in Navigating Chemical Regulations

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will hold two webinars on September 23, 2026, and November 5, 2026, aimed at assisting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SME) with meeting chemical regulatory obligations.

• September 23, 2026, from 11:00-13:00 (Helsinki time), SME webinar: Steps for notifying to poison centres; and
• November 5, 2026, from 11:00-13:00 (Helsinki time), Applying for reduced fees: what SMEs need to do.

The webinar “SME webinar: Steps for notifying to poison centres” is intended for SMEs that place hazardous mixtures on the European Union (EU) market, companies getting started with their regulatory obligations, and all actors in the supply chain who want to deepen their understanding. ECHA experts will guide attendees through the requirements under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in a clear and practical way. The webinar “Applying for reduced fees: what SMEs need to do” is intended for companies with no prior experience of applying for SME fee reductions or companies that have benefitted from SME fee reductions before but will be using the updated process for the first time.

ECHA’s focus on supporting SMEs has become an integral part of its work following a July 2025 survey measuring stakeholders’ perceptions of ECHA. Analysis of the survey results suggests that improvements could be made in collaboration and knowledge sharing, enhancing communication and transparency, and driving innovation and efficiency. A follow-up perception survey is planned to be run in 2027.

ECHA also provides the SME Hub, a centralized source of relevant information for SMEs that supports companies to identify their roles in supply chains and determine the associated obligations. An inventory of national support materials in national languages and a multilingual virtual assistant pilot providing quick responses are also provided.