40 New Hazardous Chemicals Added to PIC Regulation
40 New Hazardous Chemicals Added to PIC Regulation
Starting 1 March 2025, EU exporters will be required to notify their intent to export 40 additional hazardous chemicals. This obligation follows the European Commission’s decision to update the EU’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation by adding new substances.
Which Chemicals Were Added?
The latest addition includes 35 pesticides and 5 industrial chemicals, such as abamectin, difenacoum, fenpropimorph, dimethomorph, triadimenol, and penflufen.
Additionally, the status of two substances, cyanamide and warfarin, already listed in Annex I, has been updated. Exports of these chemicals will now require explicit consent from importing countries in addition to export notifications.
PFAS Chemicals and New Export Bans
A subgroup of PFAS chemicals, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and related compounds, has been added to Annex V of PIC. This annex lists chemicals with an export ban. This update aligns with their classification as persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention.
ECHA’s IT Tool Updated
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has updated its IT tool, ePIC, to reflect these changes. Companies can now submit export notifications for these chemicals.
Impacts of PIC Regulation on Businesses
The PIC Regulation governs the trade of hazardous chemicals that are banned or severely restricted within the EU. Companies intending to export these chemicals must notify ECHA and, in most cases, obtain explicit consent from the importing country. As of 2025, PIC Annex I includes 321 entries.