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On March 13, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the next steps for its proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under REACH. ECHA published the proposal to restrict or ban most uses of PFAS, including in food-contact materials, on February 7, 2023, in response to a proposal from five European Union (EU) Member States (MSs).

The Draft European Commission Proposal May Significantly Impact Plastic Food-Contact Materials

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on an updated (draft) scientific guidance on criteria for evaluating and preparing post-consumer mechanical PET recycling process applications under

On January 23, 2024, the European Commission adopted new minimum hygiene standards for materials and products that come into contact with drinking water. The new standards will apply to materials and products intended to be used in new installations for the abstraction, treatment, storage, or distribution of water or for repair works, such as supply pipes, valves, pumps, water meters, fittings, and taps.

The European Commission (EC) published a draft regulation on February 9, 2024, that would prohibit the use of bisphenol-A (BPA) in the manufacture of food-contact plastics, varnishes and coatings, printing inks, adhesives, ion-exchange resins, and rubber.

Swiss Ordinance 817.023.21 on materials and articles will be updated as of February 1, 2024, by an amendment dated December 8, 2023.

On November 22, 2023, the European Parliament adopted a revised version of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) with 426 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voting in favor, 125 against, and 74 abstaining. (See the Packaginglaw.com article, EU Proposal for a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste – the Highlights, for background information on the regulation.)

The European Commission (EC) has launched six consultations in relation to legislative proposals on materials in contact with drinking water. The legislative proposals, which are planned for adoption in the first quarter of 2024, and a brief description are listed below.