Making available and placing on the market of detergents

Background

The European Commission has proposed an updated Detergent Regulation to align rules with the European Green Deal, the chemicals strategy for sustainability and the Communication on the long-term competitiveness of the EU. The new regulation aims to:

  • simplify market rules by abolishing requirements that are considered unnecessary or redundant;
  • introduce voluntary digital labelling by making a distinction between pre-packaged products and products sold in a refill format;
  • facilitate the sale of innovative products by introducing safety requirements for micro-organisms; and
  • strengthen enforcement by introducing a product passport.

 

Key points

The EESC welcomes the Commission's initiative to simplify the regulation by taking out redundant elements. However, the Committee believes that certain aspects of the new regulation actually increase the administrative burden. One of these is the obligation to create and provide information on a product passport for every batch of a detergent or surfactant.

The Committee suggests:

  • reviewing the obligation to create and provide information on a product passport for every batch of a detergent or surfactant as this would be too burdensome; a more workable frequency should be envisaged, possibly linked to product variations;
  • extending digital labelling to both pre-packaged products and refill sales;
  • making the new requirements on micro-organisms support, rather than prevent, innovation in this emerging product category;
  • adopting the specific technical requirements that are needed to implement the regulation before the start of transitional periods, so that implementation can then take place without delays.

Link to the full opinion

 

Additional information

EESC section responsible: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)

Opinion type: mandatory Commission referral

Rapporteur:  Violeta Jelić (Employers – Croatia)

Reference: COM (2023) 217 final – 2023/0124 (COD)

Date of adoption by section: 29/6/2023

Result of the vote: 63 votes in favour and none against, with no abstentions

Date of adoption by plenary: 12/7/2023

Result of the vote: 193 votes in favour and 1 against, with 2 abstentions

 

Contacts

Daniela Marangoni

Press officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 8422 | Mob.: +32 475 99 94 32

Email: daniela.marangoni@eesc.europa.eu

 

Marco Manfroni

Policy officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 91 40

Email: marco.manfroni@eesc.europa.eu