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For years, it was the "holy grail" of the European Green Deal's toxic-free ambition. But on April 27, the grand revision of REACH—the European Union's flagship law for regulating chemicals—was effectively put on hold indefinitely.
Speaking before the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (Envi) , Jessika Roswall, the EU's Environment Commissioner, confirmed with the clinical pragmatism that has come to define the current Commission's implementation phase.
"We have come to the conclusion to not open REACH at this point," Roswall told lawmakers. In the coded language of Brussels, "not opening" a regulation means avoiding a full-scale legislative overhaul that could take years. At a time where legal certainty and predicability is need, Roswall emphasized that a massive new regulatory burden would be "not helpful."
A Promise Deferred with Internal Veto and Industry Backlash
The decision marks a significant departure from the roadmap laid out in October 2020. Back then, as part of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Commission promised a "comprehensive revision" of REACH. The goal was ambitious: to simplify the registration process, fast-track the ban of the most harmful substances like endocrine disruptors and "forever chemicals" (PFAS), and ensure that the EU remained the global gold standard for chemical safety.
However, the timeline slipped repeatedly. The European Commission's initial proposals for the REACH revision, presented at the 54th meeting of Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL-54) on April 3, 2025, were met with fierce opposition from Europe's chemical industries. Critics, including the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), denounced the reform as "absurd" and economically tone-deaf.
The project hit another roadblock in September 2025, when the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) issued negative opnion on the impact assessment accompanying the draft legislative proposal. This "red card" from the RSB effectively stalled the momentum, as it signaled that the Commission had not sufficiently justified the economic costs and administrative burdens of the reform.
The "Simplified" Path: Comitology and Enhanced Enforcement
Instead of a full revision, the Commisson will now pursue a strategy of incrementalism, which will rely on comitology procedures—a process where the Commission can update existing laws through expert committees, bypassing the need for a a lengthy and politically charged consulation process with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. This means the EU is now settled on the specific provisions and annex updates rather than a major structural overhaul.
In practice, the polymer registration or modification of Authorization and Registration may be put on hold. The introduction of the Mixture Allocation Factor (MAF) and enhanced data requirements for low tonnage band could still move forward through comitology.
The Commissioner emphasized that a "balanced approach" will be pursued to combine modernization efforts with improved enforcement. This will include a major push to stop noncompliant chemical products from entering the EU market and more effective market surveillance.
PFAS Restriction Outlook
During the Envi meeting, Roswall also highlighted the ongoing work on the PFAS Restriction Proposal, which is expected to reach a decision by the end of 2026. Following the finalization of the final opinion of the ECHA's Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC), the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) is now in the process of consulting its draft opinion, which will form the basis for a final legislative proposal from the Commission.
