The Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) has adopted opinions supporting the approval of four active substances for use in disinfectant, preservative and insecticide biocidal products. Another three opinions are expected to be adopted by written procedure.

Most companies responded to the Agency’s requests and managed to complete their registration data or to join a joint submission as required by REACH. Four registrations were revoked: three for being incomplete and one for breaching the ‘one substance, one registration’ principle.

ECHA has published a comprehensive update to its Guidance on requirements for substances in articles. It gives more clarity on the communication and notification obligations of companies when substances of very high concern are contained in articles.

New enforcement projects on authorisation and registration duties are planned by the Forum for 2019. Joint action with stakeholders for improving the quality of safety data sheets has also been agreed.

Inspectors in 17 European countries have checked compliance with the authorisation obligations under REACH for the use and placing on the market of 13 substances of very high concern with sunset dates in 2015. Inspections in companies that used or placed the substances on the market showed a rate of non-compliance of 10.7 % and 8.9 % respectively.