REACH Authorisation and Candidate List Updates – What Companies Should Prepare For
The regulatory landscape under REACH Authorisation is picking up pace again. Recent developments include:
12th and 13th recommendation rounds:
ECHA’s Member State Committee (MSC) has adopted its opinion on the 12th recommendation of substances for inclusion in Annex XIV (Authorisation List) on 16 September 2025. While adoption was by consensus, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia abstained regarding melamine, noting that authorisation may not be the most suitable regulatory tool to manage its risks. ECHA will now finalise and submit the recommendation to the European Commission by end of November 2025. In parallel, ECHA has launched the prioritisation exercise for its 13th recommendation, assessing all remaining Candidate List substances not yet proposed – including 15 newly added SVHCs. Using criteria such as hazard, use volume, and wide-dispersive use, ECHA scored these substances to identify those most likely to move forward. The stakeholder consultation on the next draft recommendation is expected in February 2026.
New SVHC identified:
ECHA has added 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) to the Candidate List, bringing it to 251 entries. DBDPE is a very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) flame retardant, and this identification will support potential restriction work on brominated flame retardants. Its inclusion also triggers immediate obligations for companies under REACH and the Waste Framework Directive – including information, notification, and Safety Data Sheet updates. Furthermore, under the EU Ecolabel Regulation, products containing SVHCs cannot be awarded the Ecolabel, which may affect product eligibility in certain markets.
Across the Channel:
Under UK REACH, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has proposed adding DOTE, MOTE, and tetraethyl lead (TEL) to Annex 14, with public consultation open until 4 February 2026.
These parallel EU and UK developments underline the importance of anticipating regulatory change – not just reacting to it.
At REACHLaw, our Compliance Foresight offering helps companies stay one step ahead. Through our Regulatory Audit, we assess your portfolio against upcoming regulatory trends – such as candidate listing, authorisation, and restriction initiatives – identifying risks, overlaps, and strategic actions to secure compliance and business continuity.
✅ Identify substances at risk of future authorisation or restriction
✅ Understand EU and UK REACH implications for your products
✅ Prepare for ECHA or HSE consultations and reporting duties
✅ Develop a proactive compliance strategy
If your company handles SVHCs or substances under regulatory scrutiny, now is the time to take a closer look.
Let’s start with a Regulatory Audit and build foresight into your compliance.
Contact us at case@reachlaw.fi to learn more about how Compliance Foresight can help your business anticipate, adapt, and stay ahead.