New deadlines set for UK REACH

Following a consultation in summer 2025, DEFRA have announced the anticipated extension to the UK REACH deadlines. The new deadlines will be 27 October 2029 for substances manufactured or imported at >1000 tonnes, CMRs, and SVHCs on the candidate list prior to 2021; 27 October 2030 for substances manufactured or imported at >100 tonnes, or SVHCs added to the candidate list in 2023; and 27 October 2031 for substances manufactured or imported at >1 tonne. While an extension was inevitable, the outcome is not as initially expected. 

 

After Brexit, the EU REACH regulations were “lifted and shifted” into UK law, with a single transitional compliance deadline of October 2021. This was subsequently replaced by a staggered timeline of October 2023, October 2025 and October 2027. In 2023, the registration timelines were again extended by three years (to 2026, 2028 and 2030) to allow for the development of the UK Alternative Transitional Registration Model (ATRm). Although the proposed ATRm was shared in 2024, the final registration requirements have not yet been confirmed. 

Four options were presented for review: 

  • Do nothing 
  • Option 1 – a three-year delay with one-year gaps between deadlines: 27 October 2029, 27 October 2030 and 27 October 2031 
  • Option 2 – a two-and-a-half-year delay with two-year gaps between deadlines: 27 April 2029, 27 April 2031 and 27 April 2033 
  • Option 3 – a two-and-a-half-year delay with one-year gaps between deadlines: 27 April 2029, 27 April 2030 and 27 April 2031 

The consultation results showed that Option 2 was the preferred choice among respondents. This option would have allowed sufficient time for registration dossiers to be prepared, while enabling costs and resource demands to be spread more proportionately between deadlines. 

However, Option 1 was the government’s preferred approach and is ultimately the option being taken forward. This decision has been justified on the basis that the requirements under the ATRm will be lighter than those under EU REACH, and that access to data will not need to be negotiated. The shorter intervals between deadlines are also intended to ensure regulators receive safety data sooner, supporting the continued protection of human health and the environment. 

The full response can be found on the government consultation website. 

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