Chemicals: MEPs want to simplify legislation to reduce the administrative burden

Labelling must remain legible for consumers

Cosmetics with carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances must be taken off the market faster than the Commission is proposing

Regulatory simplification of fertilisers must benefit EU producers and farmers

MEPs say it is possible to introduce greater flexibility to chemicals rules while maintaining high levels of protection for human health and the environment.

The report was adopted in a joint meeting of the Environment, Climate and Food Safety Committee and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee with 114 votes in favour, 6 against and 7 abstention. It sets out the two committees’ position on the ‘Omnibus VI’ package proposed by the Commission to simplify provisions related to the classification, packaging, and labelling of chemicals, cosmetics products, and fertilising products.

Classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals

MEPs agree with most of the proposed changes by the Commission but are against deleting all requirements for the text that should be on a product label, insisting that it must be legible for consumers. They also want to reintroduce the requirement to have a telephone number for the supplier included on the label. Furthermore, MEPs want the Commission to carry out an assessment on whether additional specific reductions of mandatory label elements should apply to packages of between 10ml and 125 ml.

Members also want to add a requirement to include a warning such as applicable hazard pictogram(s) in any public advertisement for a substance or a mixture classified as hazardous.

On 23 October 2025, Parliament postponed most parts of the revised regulation on the classification, labelling, and packaging of chemicals to 1 January 2028.

Cosmetic products

Compared to the Commission’s proposal for amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, MEPs generally want to reduce the time cosmetics with carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic (CMR) substances may continue to be sold. MEPs are also against the Commission’s proposal to exempt CMR substances based on oral or inhalation exposure.

MEPs also want to reintroduce the requirement for cosmetic products containing nanomaterials to be notified to the Commission prior to being placed on the market, and not six months prior as today.

They want to specify that cosmetics sold without face-to-face contact with the customer (e.g. online) must clearly and visibly indicate all required consumer information such as durability and a list of ingredients.

Fertilisers

MEPs underline the need for changes to the EU fertilising products regulation ((EU) 2019/1009) to provide for regulatory simplification for EU fertiliser producers and support EU farmers.

Overall, the report aims to strengthen the proportionality of rules, enhance regulatory clarity and support innovation and competitiveness in the EU fertilising products sector, without compromising the protection of human health and the environment.

MEPs support a "digital-by-default" approach to make information more readily available and update technical rules to include new materials and methods.

Quotes

After the vote, rapporteur of the Environment, Climate and Food Safety Committee Dimitris Tsiodras (EPP, Greece) said: “Europe can deliver simpler, smarter and more effective regulation without compromising safety. Human health is non-negotiable. This compromise ensures a science-based approach, legal clarity and realistic timelines, fully protecting consumers while strengthening innovation, jobs and Europe’s competitiveness.”

The rapporteur of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee Piotr Müller (ECR, Poland) added: “This is a big step in the right direction. The most important achievement is that we are introducing real simplifications for European business and innovation. And we're doing this while maintaining high safety standards. I hope the more far-reaching solutions we have proposed will be included in the next review.”

Next steps

Parliament is scheduled to adopt its mandate for negotiations with EU member states during the April plenary session.

Background

The “chemical omnibus” is part of a wider effort to simplify EU laws and cut administrative burdens, helping businesses innovate and grow in line with the Draghi report on EU competitiveness.

The chemical industry consists of 29,000 companies providing 1.2 million direct jobs and supporting 19 million across supply chains. According to the Commission, the proposed measures to reduce compliance costs and ease the administrative burden should save the industry at least €363 million a year.