The EU's proposed universal PFAS restriction, submitted in January 2023 by Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, covers more than 10,000 substances under a definition aligned with the OECD.
ECHA's Committee for Risk Assessment adopted its final opinion on March 2, 2026, concluding PFAS pose an EU-wide risk and supporting a full ban, with only one risk-based derogation for personal protective equipment.
The Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis published its draft opinion on March 26 and favored a broad restriction with time-limited, use-specific derogations, flagging eight unassessed sectors including printing, machinery, military uses and technical textiles.
The consultation on the draft SEAC opinion closed on May 25, 2026. The final socio-economic opinion is expected before the end of 2026, after which the Commission plans to present its proposal rapidly.
Proposed thresholds are 25 ppb for any individual PFAS by targeted analysis, 250 ppb for the sum, and 50 ppm for total PFAS including polymers, with a default 18-month transition period.
