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Between July and September 2026, new EU regulations significantly reshaped compliance for food contact materials (FCM). Key changes include a full ban on bisphenol A in single-use FCM, PPWR restrictions limiting PFAS in food packaging, updated purity rules for plastic FCM, and formal PET bottle recycled-content calculation guidelines including chemical recycling. Exporters must now back every shipment with updated Declarations of Conformity, mandatory BPA test reports (1 µg/kg detection limit), and documented PFAS screenings. Furthermore, recent RASFF data highlights bisphenol S, mineral oil, formaldehyde, and primary aromatic amine migrations as top compliance risks requiring routine testing.

Recently, the European Union's Rapid Alert System for non-food consumer products (Safety Gate) has reported multiple cases of non-compliance with the EU RoHS Directive, mainly involving restriction requirements for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs). The non-compliant products listed below have been notified and subject to enforcement measures. CIRS Testing advises relevant manufacturers, exporters and supply-chain stakeholders to strengthen quality control in order to mitigate trade risks.

On June 3, 2026, ECHA released a briefing on the SEAC consultation for the PFAS restriction proposal, receiving 3,511 comments within a 60-day period.

RAPEX, as the EU's rapid alert system for non-food dangerous products, has issued multiple notification cases for fluorinated compounds such as PFAS, PFOA and PFCAs, covering clothing, textiles, outdoor equipment and other product categories. These notifications reflect the EU's strict regulatory requirements and high-intensity law enforcement for PFAS residues in consumer products, and also bring clear compliance challenges to global manufacturers, exporters and cross-border e-commerce platforms.

On March 30, 2026, the European Commission released the guidance document and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the PPWR.

On October 3, 2025, the European Commission published (EU) 2025/1988 in the Official Journal, amending Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation (Restrictions) to include item 82, which sets forth control requirements for PFAS in firefighting foams. The revised regulation will take effect on October 23, 2025. This amendment marks a significant step towards comprehensive PFAS regulation in the EU. The firefighting foam industry should pay close attention to this revision, and other industries should continue to monitor the EU's progress in regulating PFAS across all sectors.

On August 27, 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced updated progress on the EU’s proposed "most stringent ever" restriction on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). According to the latest timeline, the full scientific evaluation of the restriction proposal is expected to conclude by the end of 2026, paving the way for the European Commission to enact legislation that would comprehensively limit the production and use of over 10,000 PFAS chemicals. According to the latest timeline, the full scientific evaluation of the restriction proposal is expected to conclude by the end of 2026.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) refer to substances that contain at least one perfluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom (without any H/CI/Br/I). According to existing data, there are over 10,000 substances that meet this definition.