ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

The European Parliament has endorsed the Chemicals Omnibus VI package in plenary, giving a strong mandate to simplify the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation while maintaining a high level of protection for human health and the environment.

The European Parliament is now ready to enter interinstitutional negotiations with the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. The outcome of the Plenary vote confirms broad political support for making EU chemicals legislation clearer, more workable and more predictable for companies and consumers alike.

The adopted position follows broad cross-party backing in Parliament and reflects growing recognition that existing CLP implementation and formatting requirements can be impractical in real-life conditions, particularly for small packaging and multilingual markets. Simplification measures are intended to improve label readability for consumers, reduce unnecessary waste, and avoid disproportionate regulatory and economic burdens across the value chain.

Commenting on the vote, Alexis Van Maercke, director general of A.I.S.E. (the Brussels-based association representing detergents, cleaning and maintenance products, disinfectants and biocidal products manufacturers) said: "Today's plenary vote sends a strong signal that simplification and protection can go hand in hand.

"The Parliament has recognised that certain CLP rules are no longer fit for purpose and need to be adjusted to remain effective in practice. For the detergents and maintenance products' sector, clear rules and realistic timelines are essential to ensure compliance, consumer understanding and sustainable product design."