Regulation (EU) 2020/11 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures as regards information relating to emergency health response

Jurisdiction:  EU

Commencement: Comes into force on the 30th of January 2020. Applies from the 1st of January 2020 

Amends: Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

 

Mini Summary

Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures introduces a globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals into European law. It supplements the REACH Regulation for the registration, assessment, authorisation and restrictions concerning chemical substances. The Regulations require that substances and mixtures are classified according to the physical hazards, the health hazards or the environmental hazards that they create. They also detail the labelling and packaging requirements.

Amendment

Amendments are made to article 25 (Supplemental information on the label) and article 29 (Exemptions from labelling and packaging requirements) to give additional clarification on where unique formula identifiers* (‘UFIs’) are to be placed on products.

* A unique formula identifier is a unique code of letters and numbers that links the information on the composition of a mixture or a group of mixtures to a specific mixture or group of mixtures.

Amendments are also made to Annex VIII (Harmonised information relating to emergency health response and preventative measures), which was introduced by Regulation (EU) 2017/542 amending Regulation (EC) 1272/200 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures by adding an Annex on harmonised information relating to emergency health response (‘2017 Regulations’), in order to streamline its interpretation and mitigate some unintended consequences of its introduction.

Amendment to unique formula identifier labelling 

Amendments are made to provide clarification on the placing on labels of UFIs. The places that a UFI can be displayed are:

• In  the “supplemental information” on the label.
• Printed or affixed on the under packaging located within the other label elements.
• Printed or affixed with the other label elements on an outer packaging – where the inner packaging is such a shape that it is impossible to affix a UFI on to.
• In the Safety Data Sheet or included in the copy of the label elements – where the mixtures in questions are not packaged.

Extension to the compliance date for consumer products

The deadline for submitters placing hazardous mixtures on the market for consumer use (as outlined in Annex VIII of Regulation (EC) 1272/2008) to start complying with the new rules has been extended from 1st January 2020 to 1st January 2021. This is to allow sufficient time to develop necessary solutions to unforeseen problems with the 2017 Regulations (e.g. the difficulty of knowing the exact composition of products in cases involving complex supply chains).

Link to full government text

 

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