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3 min read
The EU Detergents and Surfactants Regulation 2025 marks a significant step forward in the European Union’s approach to regulating everyday cleaning products. Designed to reflect advances in sustainability, digitalisation, and product safety, the regulation modernises the existing framework while strengthening consumer and environmental protection.
Implementation status: The Council of the European Union has approved its first-reading position, completing the legislative process at Council level and bringing the regulation close to formal adoption. It would be approved in a plenary session of the European Parliament, and the new rules will apply three and a half years after the entry into force of the regulation.
Objectives and Scope
The new regulation aims to ensure that all detergents and surfactants placed on the EU market are:
- Safe for human health
- Environmentally responsible
- Fully traceable throughout the supply chain
To achieve this, it introduces harmonised rules across Member States, simplifies compliance obligations, strengthens market surveillance, and mandates digital transparency tools such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP).
Key Regulatory Changes
1. Mandatory CE Marking
One of the most notable changes is the introduction of mandatory CE marking for detergents and surfactants. All detergent products placed on the EU market must bear a CE mark that is visible, legible, and indelible, supported by a documented conformity assessment. The CE marking confirms compliance with EU requirements relating to safety, environmental protection, labelling, performance, and traceability. This measure strengthens consumer confidence and facilitates the free movement of compliant products within the EU single market.
2. Enhanced Safety and Environmental Protection
Under the adopted regulation, all surfactants must meet the criteria of ultimate biodegradability to be placed on the EU market, whether sold on their own or incorporated into detergents.
For the first time, the regulation also introduces explicit safety requirements for microorganisms used in detergents, ensuring that innovative microbial and bio-based products meet defined standards for human health and environmental protection.
In addition, the regulation maintains existing restrictions on phosphates and other phosphorus compounds in consumer laundry detergents and consumer automatic dishwasher detergents. This reinforces the EU’s long-standing commitment to reducing nutrient pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems. The continued ban on animal testing is also preserved, with only narrowly justified scientific exceptions.
3. Digitalisation and Transparency
Digital tools play a central role in the new framework. Key requirements include:
- Mandatory digital access to product information via QR codes or equivalent solutions
- Introduction of the Digital Product Passport, accessible to consumers, authorities, and poison centres
- Explicit applicability to online sales and imported products
These measures improve transparency, traceability, and enforcement across the supply chain.
4. Support for Innovation and Refill Models
The regulation also supports innovation and sustainability by:
- Introducing specific provisions for microbial detergents and surfactants
- Encouraging refill and bulk sales models to reduce packaging waste, while ensuring continued access to mandatory product information
5. Introduction of Authorised Representatives
A key structural change affects non-EU manufacturers, who must appoint an authorised representative established in the EU. The authorised representative serves as the official contact for EU market surveillance authorities and supports ongoing compliance. Responsibilities include holding technical and conformity documentation, supporting compliance checks, cooperating on corrective actions, such as recalls, and verifying CE marking, labelling, and Digital Product Passport Obligation Compliance, strengthening enforcement and ensuring a level playing field between EU and non-EU operators
What This Means for Businesses and Consumers
For companies, the regulation introduces harmonised compliance requirements, mandatory CE marking, digital documentation, and greater accountability for importers and non-EU manufacturers, while encouraging sustainable innovation. Early preparation, especially for conformity assessment and digital readiness is critical.
For consumers, it ensures easier access to reliable information, stronger health and environmental protection, greater trust in CE-marked products, and more sustainable, refill-based detergent options
Conclusion
With Council approval secured and final parliamentary adoption pending, the New EU Detergents and Surfactants Regulation 2025 establishes a modern, future-ready regulatory framework. By combining CE marking, digital transparency, environmental safeguards, and strengthened enforcement mechanisms, the regulation reinforces trust in the EU single market while supporting innovation and sustainability and compliance with REACH and CLP regulations.
The transition period helps businesses prepare, while consumers benefit from safer products, clearer information, and more sustainable everyday cleaning solutions.
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