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On 6 August 2026, the United Kingdom (UK) government extended the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) transitional deadlines for any company manufacturing or importing chemicals into Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). Grandfathered substances now have one of the following deadlines depending upon the hazardous properties and tonnage band.
- 27 October 2029:
- Substances that are manufactured or imported at or above 1,000 metric tonnes per year (mt/y);
- Substances that are manufactured or imported at or above one mt/y and classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction (CMR);
- Substances that are manufactured or imported at or above 100 mt/y and classified as very toxic to aquatic organisms (acute or chronic); and
- Substances of very high concern (SVHC) on the Candidate List before 31 December 2023.
- 27 October 2030:
- Substances that are manufactured or imported at or above 100 mt/y; and
- SVHCs added to the Candidate List between 1 January 2024 and 27 October 2026.
- 27 October 2031:
- Substances manufactured or imported at or above one mt/y.
The extension was granted to allow the UK government time to develop and legislate the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm), that aims to reduce the data and financial burdens on businesses. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has aligned its compliance review timelines with these revised dates.
If you are a Great Britian-based downstream user or distributor of a European Union (EU)-registered substance, you should have submitted a downstream user import notification (DUIN) previously. This notifies your status and defers your registration obligation to the deadlines outlined above. You can still submit notifications if you are eligible.
The Acta Group (Acta®) closely monitors UK REACH regulatory developments. Acta welcomes opportunities to assist companies in developing practical compliance strategies and managing evolving UK REACH compliance obligations.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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