SUMMARY

The European Commission has published a delegated act adding C9–C21 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), their salts and related compounds to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The new restrictions will apply from 16 December 2026.

MORE INFORMATION

• International context: the delegated act implements in EU law the decision taken under the Stockholm Convention to list C9–C21 PFCAs, their salts and related compounds as persistent organic pollutants. It should therefore not be regarded as an entirely new restriction, but rather as the EU implementation of an international obligation.
• Relation with existing REACH rules: C9–C14 PFCAs are already restricted in the EU under Entry 68 of Annex XVII to REACH. The delegated act brings these substances under the POPs framework and extends the scope to the broader C9–C21 PFCA group.
• Scope of the restriction: once applicable, the POPs Regulation will prohibit the manufacture, placing on the market and use of the listed substances, whether on their own, in mixtures or in articles.
• Exemptions: a limited exemption applies to certain semiconductors used in replacement parts for finished electronic equipment placed on the market before 31 December 2023, until 31 December 2030. The Regulation also establishes specific limits for unintentional trace contaminants.
• Possible applications: long-chain PFCAs and related substances may be associated with treatments used to provide water, oil, dirt, grease and stain repellency, including in treated materials and articles.

NEXT STEPS

The new provisions will apply from 16 December 2026

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