CLP Regulation: EU Council approves “Stop-the-clock” mechanism and initiates simplification of obligations

On 24 September 2025, the Council of the European Union approved the “Stop-the-clock” mechanism, which postpones to 1 January 2028 the entry into force of the main changes introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 on CLP (classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances). This decision provides legal certainty to businesses and avoids adjustments to rules that will soon be simplified.

Previous steps and regulatory context

• 8 July 2025: The European Commission presents two legislative proposals (COM(2025) 526 final and COM(2025) 531 final) to address concerns from the chemical industry about increasing regulatory burdens. These proposals aim to:
  • Postpone the application of the most impactful provisions of the updated CLP Regulation.
  • Simplify obligations on labelling and advertising, while maintaining health and environmental protection.
    
    

Proposal 1: “Stop-the-clock” on imminent deadlines

The Commission proposes to postpone to 1 January 2028 the application of:

• Mandatory formatting requirements for labels (minimum font sizes, line spacing).
• New rules on advertising and distance selling.
• Fixed six-month deadline for label updates in case of classification changes.
• Labelling rules for fuel distributors.

This measure “freezes” the most controversial obligations, allowing time to approve the simplification package and enabling companies to prepare for a single set of final rules.

Proposal 2: Substantial simplification for labels and advertising

The second proposal directly amends the CLP text to ease obligations:

• More flexible label formatting: Removal of requirements on minimum font sizes, line spacing, and label characteristics (“black print on white background”)
• Mandatory digital contact: Replacement of traditional phone contact with mandatory digital contact on the label.
• Simplified advertising and distance selling: Informational obligations apply only to products intended for the public, excluding B2B transactions. In advertising, the phrase “Always read the label and product information before use” will suffice.
• Label updates without fixed deadlines: Removal of the fixed six-month deadline, replaced by the requirement to update “without undue delay.”
• Digital labelling: Possibility to include secondary supplier contacts only on the digital label.
• Simplifications for small packages and fuels: Clarified exemptions for containers <10 ml and for fuel pumps (UFI not required).
• Transitional periods: Substances and mixtures placed on the market before 1 January 2027 may be sold until 1 January 2029, granting one extra year to deplete stocks.

The recent proposals from the European Commission and the approval of the “Stop-the-clock” mechanism by the EU Council represent a concrete signal of responsiveness to the needs of the chemical industry. The postponement of deadlines and simplification of regulatory obligations will allow companies to plan adjustments more calmly, avoiding investments in rules that are about to change.

The chosen direction aims to ensure a balance between health and environmental protection and the competitiveness of the sector, promoting a more gradual and sustainable regulatory transition. The parliamentary process must now be followed and future developments monitored to understand how the proposed changes will be adopted and implemented.

For companies, it is essential to stay updated and carefully evaluate the opportunities offered by the new transitional periods and simplifications, in order to optimize stock management and document compliance.