REACH Revision Uncertainty Grows as Comitology Route Gains Attention

The issue was raised in a parliamentary Q&A ahead of the informal meeting of EU environment ministers on 5-6 February 2026. Multiple political parties questioned the government on reports that the Commission may abandon a comprehensive revision of REACH and instead pursue limited changes outside the standard Council and European Parliament co-decision process.

No Official Commission Statement, but Signals Acknowledged

In response to questions from the CDA, the Dutch government said that the European Commission has not made any formal announcements on the status of the REACH revision, but that the signals circulating in Brussels are known. The government reiterated that a revision of REACH "along the lines of the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability" remains strongly preferred.

Annex Changes Could Still Deliver Parts of the Reform Agenda

At the same time, the cabinet noted that several ideas set out in a Dutch non-paper shared with parliament could be implemented without reopening the REACH legal text. The government argued that these ideas could reduce regulatory burden while improving protection of human health, animals and the environment compared with current practice.

Netherlands Weighing "Open the Text" Versus "Annex-Only" Approach

Responding to questions that referenced Politico reporting, the Dutch government said it would gather information and exchange views on the opportunities and risks of reopening the REACH Regulation compared with adjusting the annexes only.

The cabinet also confirmed that, at parliament's request, the Netherlands has again pressed the Commission to publish the intended REACH revision proposal, including during the Environment Council meeting of December 2025. It noted that other Member States have also repeatedly urged the Commission to move forward.

Preference for Political-Level Decision-Making, but Comitology Defended as Legitimate

The Dutch government said it understands parliament's concerns about delays and agreed that decision-making on major new chemicals policy should preferably take place at political level, transparently, through the Council and the European Parliament.

However, it also said that decisions taken via comitology are still democratic, because the Council and Parliament mandate committees to take certain decisions.

Follow-up Letter: Minister Confirms REACH Will Be Raised With Commission

In a follow-up letter dated 5 February 2026, the Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management responded to a request from MP Kostic to speak out on REACH during the informal ministerial meeting.

In that letter, the State Secretary reiterated that improving REACH remains the priority, with the goals of strengthening implementation to improve protection of human health and the environment while reducing administrative burden. He also stated that improvements could be delivered through revision of the legal text, amendments to the annexes, or a combination of both.

The State Secretary confirmed that the issue would be raised during the informal meeting of environment ministers and said he would also raise it directly in a conversation with the responsible Commissioner.

No Publication Timeline Provided

Neither the parliamentary Q&A nor the subsequent ministerial letter provided any indication of when the Commission intends to publish its proposal.

For stakeholders tracking the REACH revision closely, the documents underline continued uncertainty over both the timing of the Commission's next step and the route by which REACH reforms may ultimately be delivered.