ECHA to open consultation on latest PFAS opinion
25th March 2026
EUROPE: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will publish its latest draft opinion on the proposed European PFAS restrictions tomorrow, with stakeholders having the opportunity to comment.
The draft opinion of the ECHA’s socio-economic analysis committee (SEAC), to be published tomorrow, is based on an extensive and independent assessment of the socio-economic impacts of a potential restriction of PFAS as well as an analysis of available alternatives. The committee’s work builds on the proposal from the national authorities of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which covered all PFAS and all uses.
SEAC is one of ECHA’s two scientific committees responsible for evaluating EU-wide restriction proposals under the EU’s chemicals regulation, REACH. The risk assessment committee (RAC), which evaluates the risks that PFAS pose to human health and the environment, adopted its final opinion on 2 March.
Consultation on the SEAC draft opinion will be open until 25 May. Stakeholders, including industry, non-governmental organisations, producers and developers of alternatives, researchers and members of the public, are invited to provide evidence‑based comments that will help inform SEAC’s final opinion.
The 60-day consultation uses a structured survey format, inviting participants to respond to questions on the potential impacts of restricting the use of PFAS across various sectors as described in the SEAC draft opinion. Participants are also asked to provide specific information about the availability and feasibility of alternatives to these widely used chemicals. Any information marked as confidential will be treated appropriately.
The ECHA says that information on the hazards and risks to human health and the environment associated with PFAS will not be considered, as these are covered by the opinion of the risk assessment committee.
The committee is expected to adopt its final opinion by the end of 2026. This adoption will conclude ECHA’s committees’ scientific evaluation of the proposed restriction and the opinions will be formally submitted to the European Commission.
Based on the two final opinions, the Commission will propose a restriction for discussion and vote in the REACH committee, composed of EU member states.
The proposal to restrict PFAS in the EU/EEA was prepared by authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and was submitted to ECHA in January 2023. It aims to reduce PFAS emissions into the environment and make products and processes safer for people. The six-month consultation on the restriction proposal ran from 22 March to 25 September 2023.
Further information and links to the consultation document can be found on the ECHA website.
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