To address the high non-compliance in online chemical sales, inspections uncovered numerous mixtures and articles containing restricted hazardous substances, including carcinogens. Approximately 78 % of controlled mixtures or articles failed to meet REACH restrictions. To tackle this issue, the Enforcement Forum of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) initiated a pan-European project. Its main focus is to verify compliance with REACH restrictions and the Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation for products sold online. The Biocidal Products Regulation subgroup (BPRS) will also launch a project on biocidal product labeling.

Scheduled for 2025, the upcoming REACH-EN-FORCE (REF)-13 project aims to ensure online products, like toys, household goods, and chemicals, adhere to REACH restrictions. Inspectors will check the proper classification, labeling, and packaging of mixtures according to the CLP Regulation and will evaluate the inclusion of hazard information in online listings. Compliance with Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive may also be examined.

Inspectors will benefit from more stringent online sales rules, including the Digital Services Act and General Product Safety Regulation, enhancing enforcement effectiveness.

Regarding the BPRS subgroup, the upcoming major enforcement project (BEF-3) will focus on validating the accuracy of biocidal product labels. Inspectors will cross-check label information against authorized details in the Summary of Product Characteristics. Additionally, Safety Data Sheets will be evaluated for the required information on biocidal products.

Preparations for REF-13 and BEF-3 projects start in 2024, with inspections planned for 2025 and reports expected in 2026.

• European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Helsinki, Finland