European Commission proposal

The chemicals omnibus package, proposed by the European Commission in July 2025, is part of its simplification and deregulation strategy to support the chemicals industry. It proposed amending the regulations on classification, labelling and packaging (CLP), cosmetic and fertiliser products, introducing 'digital‑by‑default' labelling and simplified formatting for small packaging. For cosmetics, the omnibus would grant longer transition periods before bans on carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) substances take effect, and abolish pre‑notification for products containing nanomaterials. These proposed changes appear to depart from the Commission's commitment in the chemicals strategy for sustainability to revise the Cosmetics Regulation to achieve high consumer protection. For fertilisers, the proposal would replace 'extended REACH registration' with the standard chemical safety rules. Overall, the Commission estimates that the initiative would cut business compliance costs by at least €363 million annually, but potential costs to human health, healthcare systems and the environment from weaker risk‑management measures remain unquantified. Furthermore, UN experts have warned that Omnibus VI could weaken protections for human health, workers' rights and the environment.

European Parliament and Council provisional agreement

Parliament and Council negotiators reached a provisional agreement on 16 June 2026.

For cosmetics, the agreement amends provisions on bans and derogations for CMR substances, while retaining pre‑market notification for products containing nanomaterials. Under the Cosmetics Regulation, adopted in 2009, CMR substances are prohibited in cosmetic products unless a derogation is granted. The regulation does not provide general transition periods for phasing out products containing a newly banned substance before the ban has taken effect. The Commission proposed allowing such products to be placed on the market for 12 months and to remain available for 24 months after the ban. The agreement reduces these periods to 6 and 12 months where no derogation is requested, and to 3 and 9 months where a request is refused on safety grounds. Where a derogation is refused because a suitable alternative to the substance is available, the periods are extended to 24 and 36 months, respectively.

For fertilising products, unlike the Commission proposal, the compromise retains REACH registration requirements for substances with a harmonised classification as particularly harmful. Under the CLP Regulation, the co‑legislators agreed that labels must use easily legible text.

The joint ENVI-IMCO committees endorsed the provisional agreement jointly on 14 July 2026 by 110 votes to 10, with 5 abstentions.