Regulatory Review – March 2026
This digest provides an overview of recent regulatory news of interest to the SETAC community, presented in alphabetical order. Please send suggestions to [email protected].
China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment
China has adopted the Ecological and Environmental Code, which takes effect on 15 August. This new legislation aims at safeguarding the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, thus consolidating the country’s theoretical, institutional and practical achievements in ecological conservation since 2012.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
ECCC has finalized an Order amending Schedule 3 under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, updating the list of controlled substances and aligning it with international obligations. The amendments revise entries for several legacy contaminants, including polybrominated biphenyls, polychlorinated terphenyls and mercury compounds.
Canada released a National Freshwater Science Agenda that formalizes a coordinated, national approach to freshwater research and decision-making over the next decade. The agenda places new emphasis on data integration, Indigenous co-development and linking science directly to policy and watershed management.
European Commission
The European Commission launched a call for evidence to support a review of the Water Framework Directive, the main EU law for protecting and improving the status of Europe’s waters. The commission is accelerating its efforts to secure the EU’s supply of critical raw materials to shield industry and supply chains from geopolitical and price shocks. The online consultation is open until 14 April.
The European Commission adopted a revised recommendation on the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to chemicals and materials innovation that aligns with the Clean Industrial Deal’s ambition for a toxic-free, circular and competitive economy. Building on the initial 2022 Commission Recommendation, this updated framework introduces clear, streamlined assessment approaches that make safety and sustainability the default choice – not a compliance hurdle.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
ECHA is finalizing its evaluation of the EU-wide universal restriction proposal on all PFAS. Two committees are involved: the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC), which evaluates risks to human health and the environment, and the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC), which evaluates socio-economic impacts and the availability of alternatives. Both committees have adopted their opinions and ECHA is inviting stakeholders to provide information on the draft opinion of SEAC by 25 May. The adopted RAC opinion will be published soon. Based on these opinions, the European Commission will propose a restriction for discussion and vote in the REACH Committee, composed of EU Member States.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
EFSA has issued a public consultation on two draft scientific opinions on management of Xylella fastidiosa, a plant pathogen, in the EU. Both opinions are open for public consultation until 10 April 2026, with stakeholders, researchers and citizens invited to provide scientific feedback.
Gulf States
Six Arabian Gulf countries – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen – have submitted a notification to the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, proposing implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals among member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO), excluding Saudi Arabia.
Japan Ministries
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; and Ministry of the Environment jointly issued the “Summary of Revisions to the Ministerial Ordinance on Disclosure of New Chemical Substance Names under Article 4, Paragraph 5 of the Chemical Substances Control Law.” This update primarily extends the disclosure period and diversifies disclosure methods for certain new chemical substances, offering significant advantages to companies engaged in regular notifications under the CSCL.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
USEPA announced renewal of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for Aquatic Life Bioavailability Modeling for Metals. The CRADA was initially signed by USPEA and eight metals associations after the conclusion of a SETAC workshop on Environmental Toxicity of Metals in freshwater. The agreement leverages the knowledge and resources of scientists inside and outside of the agency to better protect aquatic life from metals pollution in lakes, rivers and streams. Current science demonstrates that water chemistry parameters (e.g., pH, dissolved organic carbon, and hardness) can affect the toxicity of metals by affecting the bioavailability of metals in the water to aquatic species.
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