EU Defers Key Labelling Rules in CLP Regulation Amendment to Ease Industry Burden

The updated regulation addresses growing concerns among industry stakeholders over the complexity, administrative load and cost implications of the revised CLP requirements. This deferral will have a broad impact across the chemicals value chain—from chemical manufacturers and distributors to online retailers and fuel suppliers—all of whom now have additional time to adjust operations and ensure compliance.

Extended Deadlines for CLP Regulation Compliance

Under the new rules, multiple articles and annexes of Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 now have revised enforcement dates, offering a phased implementation schedule from 2026 to 2028.

Key New Application Dates

• 1 July 2026:
  Several provisions concerning label formatting, relabelling obligations, advertisement requirements, and rules for distance sales offers must be complied with from this date. This is one year later than originally planned.

• 1 January 2027:
  Requirements affecting classification, labelling, and packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures, including certain updates in Annex IV, will come into effect.

• 1 January 2028:
  Additional provisions—including those in Annex I and Annex II—pertaining to labelling content, hazard communication and reporting will apply from this date. These include more complex elements of the revised CLP framework and are intended to give operators the longest preparation window.

Transitional Provisions Aligned

To support smooth transition:

• Substances and mixtures may continue to follow existing CLP rules until:
  • 30 June 2026 for provisions entering into force in July 2026.
  • 31 December 2026 for those with a January 2027 deadline.
  • 31 December 2027 for the final tranche due in January 2028.

These extended grace periods are designed to prevent premature relabelling, unnecessary costs and supply chain disruption.

Fuel Labelling Rules Relaxed

One of the most contentious areas of Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 was its requirement for fuel labelling at filling stations. Companies were originally expected to display:

• The supplier's name
• The nominal quantity of the fuel
• A unique formula identifier (UFI)

However, after feedback from industry and an internal Commission review, these measures were found to be impractical, expensive, and not contributing meaningfully to environmental or health protection.

The 2025 amendment has postponed these fuel labelling obligations pending further assessment. This allows regulators to potentially remove or simplify requirements that risked creating disproportionate compliance costs for fuel suppliers.

Why the Delay? Balancing Safety and Competitiveness

This legislative adjustment is part of a wider EU strategy to maintain competitiveness without undermining safety. As noted in the 2024 Draghi Report on the future of European competitiveness, overregulation threatens to limit innovation and reduce operational flexibility for European businesses.

In response, the European Commission launched proposals to simplify procedures and reduce the regulatory burden under multiple chemical regulations, including the CLP framework. The revised schedule reflects a more risk-proportionate, business-friendly approach while still upholding high standards for human health and environmental protection.

For SMEs and downstream users, this delay provides crucial breathing room to adapt systems, train staff, revise documentation and avoid potential penalties.