Research and development (PPORD)

Under REACH, there is no obligation to register substances in amounts below one tonne a year.

To further encourage innovation, substances used in scientific research and development (SR&D) in amounts of less than one tonne a year are also exempted from authorisation and restriction.

Substances used above one tonne a year for product and process orientated research and development (PPORD) can also be exempted from the obligation to register for a period of five years. To benefit from this exemption, a PPORD notification must be submitted to ECHA.

In the PPORD notification, companies have to include:

  • information on the substance identity,
  • its classification,
  • information related to the PPORD programme, and
  • the quantity of the substance expected to be manufactured or imported during the five-year period of exemption.

ECHA assesses the PPORD notification and may impose conditions to the PPORD exemption. The manufacturer or importer of the substance has to comply with the imposed conditions and must inform relevant customers involved in the PPORD.

If a substance used for PPORD is subject to restriction or authorisation, the respective decisions will specify how they apply to PPORD. They will also define the maximum quantities of the substance that can benefit from a PPORD exemption exemption.