,On 21 January 2026, the General Court of the European Union (Sixth Chamber) delivered its judgment in Case T-174/24, Djchem Chemicals Poland S.A. and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company , European Commission (supported by Germany, the Netherlands, and ECHA). The Court dismissed the applicants' action seeking annulment of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/197 (adopted 19 October 2023, published in OJ L 2024/197 on 5 January 2024), insofar as it harmonises the classification and labelling of the multi-constituent substance 1,4-Benzenediamine, N, N-mixed Ph and tolyl derivatives. (DAPD, also known as Benpat) as reproductive toxicant category 1B (H360FD: May damage fertility. May damage the unborn child), based on the ECHA RAC opinion. The applicants, marketers and users of DAPD (an antioxidant in polymers and rubber), argued manifest errors in assessing animal study relevance to humans, failure to apply the weight of evidence/read-across properly, lack of mechanistic doubts on dystocia/prostaglandin inhibition, proportionality breaches, and rights of defence violations. The Court upheld the Commission's broad discretion in complex hazard assessments under CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. It found no manifest errors: animal data provided clear evidence of adverse effects (fertility/developmental) not secondary to general toxicity, with no mechanistic information raising sufficient doubt on human relevance. Read across from one constituent was not mandatory; exposure circumstances were irrelevant for hazard (not risk) classification. Proportionality, defence rights, and good administration claims were rejected, as public consultation occurred and no additional procedural rights applied to general measures. The contested classification applies from 1 September 2025. Applicants ordered to pay costs.
Consult
