EU Proposed to Amend POPs Regulation to Restrict Long Chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (C9-C21 PFCAs), Their Salts and Related Compound
| Targeted audience | EU/EEA manufacturers, EU/EEA importers and their upstream providers |
| Products concerned | Substances, mixtures, articles |
| Key industries concerned with this insight | Textiles, food contact materials (FCM) |
| Application date | First quarter 2026 (estimated) |
| Main content or requirements | On 21 November 2025, the EU proposed to amend the POPs Regulation Annex I Part A by adding a new entry to restrict long chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (C9-21 PFCAs), their salts and related compounds in substances, mixtures and articles to be placed on the EU market. The C9-21 PFCAs and their salts content limit is proposed to be set as 0.025 mg/kg (0.0000025%, 25 ppb) (sum), while the C9-21 PFCAs related compounds content limit is to be set as 0.26 mg/kg (0.000026%, 260 ppb) (sum) |
| Reference | Link 1 Link 2 |
On 21 November 2025, the European Commission proposed a regulation to add a new entry to Part A of Annex I to the EU POPs Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, which restricts long chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (C9-21 PFCAs), their salts and related compounds in substances, mixtures and articles to be placed on the EU market. The amendment is scheduled to enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The amendment is scheduled to be adopted in the first quarter of 2026.
Requirement
- C9-21 PFCAs and their salts ≤ 0.025 mg/kg (0.0000025%, 25 ppb) (sum), and
- C9-21 PFCAs related compounds ≤ 0.26 mg/kg (0.000026%, 260 ppb) (sum), in substances, mixtures or articles.
Transition Period and Derogation
Additional transition periods are granted for certain semiconductors used in certain combustion-engine powered vessels or motor vehicles. Higher limits apply to certain transported isolated intermediate or fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers.
Definition
“Long chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (C9-21 PFCAs), their salts and related compounds” means the following:
- linear and branched perfluorocarboxylic acids of the formula CnF2n+1COOH where 8 ≤ n ≤ 20 (C9-21 PFCAs),
- their salts,
- compounds related to C9-21 PFCAs, which are any substances that have the potential to degrade or to be transformed to C9-21 PFCAs, including any substances that contain the perfluorinated alkyl moiety CnF2n+1 (where 8 ≤ n ≤ 20) as one of the structural elements.
The following compounds are not included as compounds related to C9-21 PFCAs: CnF2n+1X, where X = F, Cl or Br.
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