On 17.06.2026, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the remaining part of Omnibus VI (the so-called Chemicals Omnibus). The associated extension of deadlines is of central importance for practical implementation.
Previously, the effective date for the revised requirements for the classification, labeling, and packaging of chemicals under Regulation (EU) 2025/2439 had already been postponed to 01.01.2028 (see our blog-post ‘Stop the Clock’).
According to the provisional agreement, the proposed changes will not take effect until 01.01.2030. This affects Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (CLP), Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (Cosmetics Regulation), and Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 on the making available on the market of EU fertilizer products (Fertilizer Regulation).
Planned amendments
The provisionally agreed amendments to the three aforementioned EU regulations are intended to strengthen consumer protection and general safety when handling hazardous substances.
In chemicals legislation, specifically the CLP Regulation, the focus is on the design of labeling, particularly regarding specific information and the obligation to update it. To ensure readability, a distinction is made based on the target audience: in the B2B sector, general criteria will predominantly apply, while for products intended for the general public, more stringent requirements—such as minimum font sizes—will be maintained. In addition, specific exemptions are being introduced for small packages, which, under certain conditions, allow for exclusively digital labeling of small inner containers—such as printer cartridges—provided that the essential information is provided in printed form on the outer packaging. Furthermore, the deadlines for relabeling are to be extended if substances are subsequently classified as more hazardous.
Cosmetics legislation is intended to establish, among other things, deadlines for the phased elimination of CMR substances, which means substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction. To this end, a phased timeline model is to be agreed upon, in which the transition period is based on the respective risk level. In conjunction with this, the Commission is to issue guidelines on suitable alternatives. At the same time, comprehensive reporting requirements for nanomaterials in cosmetic products prior to their placing on the market will remain in effect.
EU fertilizer legislation provides for clarifying the authorization requirements for component materials that are relevant to the CE marking of fertilizers and for updating the registration requirements for components that have previously been difficult to classify into existing component material categories, such as microorganisms, animal by-products, or polymers. At the same time, the REACH registration requirement for certain substances of very high concern with harmonized classifications is to remain in effect unchanged.
Outlook
Formal approval by the Council and Parliament, as well as subsequent legal and linguistic revisions, are still pending. Formal adoption is expected to take place sometime in 2026.
Do you have any questions about this news item or would you like to discuss it with the author? Please feel free to contact: Martin Ahlhaus and Nicole Rauch
