Export of hazardous chemicals: Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1278 adds metribuzin, chromium(VI) compounds, UV-328 and Dechlorane Plus, among others, to the PIC lists — applicable from 1 October 2026
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1278 of 9 June 2026, published on 12 August, amends Annexes I and V to Regulation (EU) No 649/2012, which implements in the Union the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent (PIC) procedure. The new entries are pesticides withdrawn from the EU market, carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances restricted under REACH, REACH Annex XIV substances for which no authorisation was granted, and persistent organic pollutants.
- Pesticides: carbendazim is also added to Part 2 of Annex I (all uses in the “pesticides” category are banned), and metribuzin — after the non-renewal of its approval — to Parts 1 and 2. Dodemorph, fenpyrazamine, flumetralin, metaflumizone, pyridalyl and tritosulfuron, withdrawn by industry from the approval process, are added too, as is the biocide PHMB (1600; 1.8), now approved only for product type 4.
- Industrial chemicals: Part 1 now includes, among others, DEHP, DBP, diarsenic trioxide, trichloroethylene, chromium trioxide, sodium, potassium and ammonium dichromate, chromates, MOCA and high-temperature coal tar pitch — category 1A or 1B CMR substances whose sale to the general public is banned by entries 28–30 of REACH Annex XVII. Parts 1 and 2 now cover REACH Annex XIV substances with no authorisation, including the UV stabilisers UV-328, UV-327, UV-350 and UV-320, as well as Dechlorane Plus.
- Following the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (28 April – 9 May 2025), carbosulfan and ULV formulations of fenthion containing at least 640 g/l are added to Part 3; carbosulfan is accordingly removed from Part 2 and its Part 1 entry updated. Dechlorane Plus, methoxychlor and UV-328, listed under the Stockholm Convention, are added to Annex V, the list of chemicals subject to an export ban. The CN code for mixtures containing terbufos is corrected to ex 3808.91.
- The exporter must notify the designated national authority of the first export no later than 35 days before the expected date (Article 8(2) of the PIC Regulation). CSB Compliance points out that explicit consent from the importing country may be required for Parts 2 and 3, that a substance concentration above the relevant threshold brings a mixture into scope, and that ECHA has already added the new entries to the ePIC system.