2025/0531(COD)

Official summary (Legislative Observatory, Decision by Parliament, 1st reading): The European Parliament adopted by 477 votes to 59, with 41 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 1272/2008, (EC) No 1223/2009 and (EU) 2019/1009 as regards simplification of certain requirements and procedures for chemical products (Omnibus VI).

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading by amending the Commission's proposal as follows:

Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

Currently, suppliers are required to indicate their address and telephone number on the label of the packaging of hazardous substances or mixtures. The regulation requires suppliers to also provide digital contact . "Digital contact" means any online communication channel that is up to date and accessible free of charge, such as an email address, through which a supplier can be contacted without the need to register or to download or use additional applications specific to the supplier.

To reduce the required label space, suppliers will be permitted to provide their telephone number either on the digital label or through the digital contact.

- The labelling elements may be reduced where: a) the contents of the packaging of a substance or mixture do not exceed certain quantities and b) the packaging is in such a form or is so small that it is impossible to mention all the elements in all the languages ​​of the Member State in which the substance or mixture is placed on the market;

- In order to provide sufficient time for suppliers of substances and mixtures, and in particular for SMEs and to facilitate the preparation and production of fold-out labels, it is planned to extend the fixed six-month relabelling deadline to 15 months , while continuing to require the labels to be changed without undue delay after new data are obtained by or communicated to a supplier. Suppliers should cooperate and ensure the timely communication of information about changes to the classification and labelling in the supply chain;

- Any advertisement to the general public for a substance or a mixture classified as hazardous should include the sentence: ‘Always read the label and product information before use.’, and the applicable hazard pictograms or signal word. This provision will not apply to advertisements to professional and industrial users for substances or mixtures intended for use in the course of their professional or industrial activities, provided that the advertisement is not targeted at the general public;

- When substances or mixtures are placed on the market for the general public through distance sales , the offer will clearly and visibly indicate the label elements referred to in the regulation. This also applies to distance sales offers to professional and industrial users for substances or mixtures intended for use in the course of their professional or industrial activities, if the offer also allows a member of the general public to conclude a distance contract.

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products

Substances classified as CMR category 1A or 1B may be used in cosmetic products exceptionally if a derogation request is submitted to the Commission and the Commission grants the derogation from the general prohibition laid down in the regulation. The Commission will grant the derogation where all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

- there are no suitable alternative substances available ;

- the substances have been evaluated and found to be safe by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) for one or more particular uses in one or more cosmetic product categories considering overall exposure from the uses in those product categories as well as from sources other than cosmetic products and of vulnerable population groups.

The amending regulation specifies that the elements to be considered under the availability of suitable alternatives condition should be outlined. In particular, it should be required that the use of any alternative substance be safe for human health and reduce the overall risk compared to the substance it is intended to replace. The alternative substance should provide an equivalent function in the finished cosmetic product, together with a comparable level of efficacy and performance and should be technically and economically feasible for businesses, in particular SMEs.

When a substance is prohibited or restricted from the use in cosmetic products, the manufacturers, importers, distributors and responsible persons should be given appropriate time to take necessary measures to reformulate, test and relabel their products, withdraw from the distribution and destroy the unsold products not complying with the new requirements. The length of such transitional periods should reflect the safety considerations:

- if no derogation request was submitted, a period of six months for placing on the market and 12 months for making available on the market;

- SCCS has found that the substance is not safe when used in cosmetics, those periods should be shortened to three months for placing on the market and nine months for making available on the market;

- SCCS has found that the substance is safe, but the derogation has not been granted due to the availability of suitable alternatives, those periods should be extended to 24 months for placing on the market and 36 months for making available on the market, provided that an up-to-date Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) remains available at all times.

Cosmetic products containing nanomaterials will be notified to the Commission by the responsible person by electronic means prior to being placed on the market. The information notified to the Commission will contain at least the following: the identification of the nanomaterial and its specification, including size of particles, physical and chemical properties.

Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 on fertilising products

Fertilising products covered by Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 are subject to regulatory requirements and administrative burdens which, when increased, could widen the gap between agricultural production costs in the Union and those in third countries. The amendments to this Regulation should therefore provide for regulatory simplification that will benefit EU fertilising products manufacturers and Union farmers. Reduced administrative burdens and new opportunities for innovative products to access the single market are expected to result in broader availability of affordable and efficient EU fertilising products across the single market. However, simplification should not undermine a high level of protection of human, animal and plant health , safety and the environment or lower the levels of controls on the products when entering the market.

The Commission will periodically review the existing requirements set out in Annexes I, II, III and IV in light of technical progress and scientific evidence, taking into consideration national practices, and the objectives of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. The first review will consider the requirements applicable for nutrient polymers and be carried out no later than 7 years after the date of entry of force of this amending Regulation.