Policy Priorities / competitiveness internal market simplification
Chemicals Omnibus
How the framework works today
EU chemicals legislation, including the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, is a central component of the EU’s framework for protecting human health and the environment, while enabling the functioning of the Single Market.
These rules provide the basis for:
- the classification and labelling of products,
- the communication of hazards across the value chain, and
- the safe placing of products on the EU market.
Over time, experience with the implementation of chemicals legislation has highlighted practical challenges, particularly for downstream industries and SMEs.
These include:
- complexity of labelling requirements,
- administrative burden linked to relabelling and updates, and
- difficulties in applying rules consistently across product formats and markets.
What is changing: the Chemicals Omnibus and simplification agenda
As part of its broader competitiveness and simplification agenda, the European Commission has introduced the Chemicals Omnibus (Omnibus VI), which includes targeted amendments to several pieces of EU legislation, including CLP.
The initiative reflects the Commission’s objective to ensure that legislation remains:
- fit for purpose,
- proportionate, and
- aligned with the realities of industrial production and supply chains.
For CLP, the Chemicals Omnibus focuses in particular on:
- label formatting requirements,
- rules for relabelling and updates,
- provisions for small packaging formats, and
- the communication of hazard information, including in advertising.
In parallel, a “stop‑the‑clock” mechanism has been adopted, adjusting the timeline for implementation of certain CLP provisions, with key obligations now expected to apply from 2028.
Together, these elements aim to support a more practical and efficient implementation of chemicals legislation, while maintaining a high level of protection.
The Chemicals Omnibus is also part of a wider policy context in which simplification, regulatory coherence and industrial competitiveness are being addressed across multiple initiatives, including those linked to lead markets, circular economy and industrial policy.
Industry perspective and Detergents Europe’s work
For the cleaning and hygiene products industry, the Chemicals Omnibus is closely linked to the broader objective of ensuring that regulatory frameworks remain workable in practice across complex value chains.
Detergents Europe has been actively engaged throughout the legislative process, including:
- contributing technical input to EU institutions,
- engaging with the European Parliament, Council and Commission during negotiations, and
- supporting communication on the practical implications of proposed changes.
A.I.S.E.’s recent work on the Chemicals Omnibus has focused on key areas such as:
- improving the flexibility and readability of labels,
- ensuring realistic timelines for relabelling, and
- maintaining clear and effective hazard communication without unnecessary complexity.
This engagement reflects a broader objective to support a regulatory framework that:
- remains effective in protecting human health and the environment,
- is proportionate for downstream users and SMEs, and
- contributes to the EU’s competitiveness and industrial policy objectives.
From an implementation perspective, the Chemicals Omnibus illustrates the importance of ensuring that simplification measures are:
- consistent with existing legislation,
- aligned with supply‑chain realities, and
- supportive of the functioning of the Single Market.
