CLP legislation, guidance and archives

CLP-Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008

On 20 January 2009 the Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures entered into force. It aligns existing EU legislation to the United Nations Globally Harmonised System (GHS).

1.   Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, OJ L 353

2.   Unofficial consolidated version
Disclaimer: "Please note that some mistakes regarding the entries in Annex VI have already been reported to ECHA and to the Council and are in the process of being included in a correcting act."

This new Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging ("CLP Regulation") contributes to the GHS aim that the same hazards will be described and labelled in the same way all around the world. By using internationally agreed classification criteria and labelling elements, it is expected to facilitate trade and to contribute towards global efforts to protect humans and the environment from hazardous effects of chemicals. The new act will complement the REACH Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals.

The CLP Regulation will, after a transitional period, replace the current rules on classification, labelling and packaging of substances (Directive 67/548/EEC ) and mixtures (Directive 1999/45/EC ). The date from which substance classification and labelling must be consistent with the new rules will be 1 December 2010 and for mixtures 1 June 2015.

Together with the compromise package for the CLP Regulation, the EP and the Council adopted two related acts which adapt further EU acts to the new rules on classification and labelling, Directive 2008/112/EC, OJ L 345 and Regulation (EC) No 1336/2008, OJ L 354 .

3.   The Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP; Ex-ECB) has made available the Table 3.1 and 3.2 of Annex VI in excel format for downloading.

Corrigenda

Corrigendum to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 [690 KB] of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.
Other language versions can be found here:

Table 1.1 in Annex VI regarding hazard classes and category codes and the correlation table (Table 1.1) in Annex VII have been corrected. The corrections vary in the different language versions.

Fees Regulation

Commission Regulation (EU) No 440/2010 of 21 May 2010 on the fees payable to the European Chemicals Agency pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures
More on fees and charges [9 KB]

Adaptations to Technical Progress (ATP) to the CLP Regulation

1st Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to the CLP Regulation

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 790/2009 of 10 August 2009 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical and scientific progress, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

The 1st Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 enters into force on 25 September 2009. It transfers the 30th and 31st ATPs of Directive 67/548/EEC to the Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. A certain period of time is included to allow operators to adapt the labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures to the new classification. Suppliers should apply the harmonised classifications set in the 1st ATP and adapting the labelling and packaging provisions accordingly as of 1 December 2010 at the latest but are allowed to apply those harmonised classifications already before that date.

2nd Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to the CLP Regulation

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 286/2011 of 10 March 2011 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical and scientific progress, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

The 2nd Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 enters into force on 19 April 2011. The new rules apply to substances from 1 December 2012 and to mixtures from 1 June 2015, but can be voluntarily applied before those dates. Transitional provisions are foreseen for substances/mixtures already placed on the market.

The text incorporates into the CLP the changes introduced by the 3rd revision of the United Nations Globally Harmonised System (GHS). It contains, inter alia, new sub-categories for respiratory and skin sensitisation, the revision of the classification criteria for long-term hazards (chronic toxicity) to the aquatic environment, and a new hazard class for substances and mixtures hazardous to the ozone layer and labelling provisions to protect individuals already sensitised to a specific chemical that may elicit a response at very low concentration.

3rd Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to the CLP Regulation

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 618/2012 (published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 10 July 2012) amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical and scientific progress, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

The 3rd Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 enters into force on 31 July 2012. The new rules apply from 1 December 2013 but may be applied voluntarily before that date. The aim is to update the list of substances with harmonised classification and labelling in Part 3 of Annex VI.

Reports

The Commission report to the European Parliament and the Council on communication on the safe use of chemicals according to article 34(2) of CLP Regulation is available here .

The Commission report on CLP enforcement will be included in the REACH review in accordance with Article 46(2) of the CLP Regulation. Further details are available here.

Review of the Commission services according to Article 45(4) of CLP Regulation is available here. 

Related downstream legislation

Directive 2008/112/EC, OJ L 345 of the European Parliament and of the Council - amending Council Directives 76/768/EEC, 88/378/EEC, 1999/13/EC and Directives 2000/53/EC, 2002/96/EC and 2004/42/EC in order to adapt them to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

Regulation (EC) No 1336/2008, OJ L 354 of the European Parliament and of the Council - amending Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 in order to adapt it to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

Transport legislation

The Commission website on transport legislation can be found on the Transport website of the European Commission .

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Glossary

Glossary [49 KB]

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Guidance and Helpdesks

Guidance on how to apply the provisions of the Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging is available from the CLP guidance section of the ECHA website, including the Introductory Guidance on the CLP Regulation and the Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria.

National helpdesks are available from the helpdesk section of the ECHA website.

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CLP-GHS Archives

The Archives section spotlights documents on preliminary steps for the adoption of the CLP and GHS Regulation.