,"The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced plans to launch a 60-day consultation in spring 2026 on the draft opinion of its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) regarding the proposed EU-wide restriction of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The consultation will begin shortly after SEAC’s March 2026 meeting, where the draft opinion is expected to be agreed.
Key Details:
The draft opinion will evaluate the socio-economic impacts, including alternative substances and technologies.
The consultation will use a structured survey format, requiring stakeholders to respond directly in provided fields (attachments will not be accepted).
Risk-related aspects will not be considered, as these fall under the remit of the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC).
The consultation will be open to all stakeholders – including industry, NGOs, researchers, and the public.
To support participation, ECHA will host an online information session on 30 October 2025 and publish consultation guidelines.
Next Steps:
SEAC will review stakeholder input and is expected to adopt its final opinion by the end of 2026, concluding the scientific evaluation of the PFAS restriction proposal."