Regulatory Review – January 2026
This digest provides an overview of some of the latest regulatory news announcements of interest to the SETAC community. Please send your suggestions to [email protected].
Australian Government
In November 2025, Parliament passed changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), Australia’s main environmental legislation. A video explainer of Environmental Law reforms is now available.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Under the European Union’s One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA) package, ECHA, working closely with other EU agencies and authorities, will lead efforts to build a common data platform on chemicals, streamline assessments and strengthen collaboration to better protect human health and the environment.
Under the new Toy Safety Regulation, which entered into force on 1 January, ECHA will assess chemical safety in toys, process companies’ derogation requests to use prohibited chemicals, and provide scientific recommendations through its expert committees.
United States Government
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) finalized a rule rescinding its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations—representing the most significant shift in U.S. federal environmental review procedures since NEPA’s enactment in 1969 and the establishment of CEQ regulations in 1979.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced a proposed rule that would amend Section 401 of Clean Water Act (CWA) and remove provisions added in 2023. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act “provides states and authorized Tribes with an important tool to help protect water quality of federally regulated waters within their borders, in collaboration with federal agencies.”
The U.S. withdrew from several international conventions and treaties, as well as United Nations Organizations, many of which related to environmental health. For United Nations entities, withdrawal generally means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities, to the extent permitted by law.
A bill to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the key chemical legislation in the U.S., was introduced last week. The proposed changes address implementation, focusing on accelerating new chemical reviews, prioritizing industry data, and reauthorizing fee collection.
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
The Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (also called the High Seas Treaty) became legally effective on 17 January, establishing a binding global framework to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in international waters, including new tools for environmental impact assessments and marine protected areas.
The first session of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Plenary (ISP-CWP P1) will be hosted by the Government of Switzerland from 2–6 February at the Geneva International Conference Centre.
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