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Why do we need a PFAS restriction? as well as in articles.
The committees reached multiple technical consensuses on key issues, including the proposed restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking a new phase in the EU’s chemical regulatory framework. Key Meeting Highlights. 1. Progress on REACH Restriction Proposal: PFAS Multi-Sector Assessment
In November 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), joined by five European authorities from Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, has issued a progress update for the restrictions regarding PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) on their website.
The European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) have made significant progress in their evaluation of the EU-wide proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking a critical step toward the commitment to phase out all PFAS.
EU PFAS candidate list is made based on Restriction proposal on PFAS announced by ECHA, which selects PFAS substances based on their number of fluorine atoms.
At the core of the March meeting was the PFAS restriction proposal, initially submitted in January 2023 by five EU member states—Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. This comprehensive initiative aims to address PFAS use across multiple industries.
As reported in our February 13, 2023, memorandum, the national authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden submitted a proposal to restrict more than 10,000 PFAS under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.
Since 2009, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) have been included in the international Stockholm Convention to eliminate their use. PFOS has been restricted in the EU for more than 10 years already, under the EU’s Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation.
During its March 2025 meetings, ECHA’s Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) Committees reached provisional conclusions on PFAS use in fluorinated gases, transport, and energy applications. Additionally, 13 substances received revised classifications, affecting manufacturers across multiple industries.
Action on PFAS is also ramping up across Europe, with updated EU-wide limits coming into effect from 2026. The recast Drinking Water Directive (DWD), the EU’s primary drinking water law, limits levels of 20 individual PFAS to 0.1 µg/L, roughly equivalent to 100ppt.