EC Launches Consultations on Materials in Contact with Drinking Water

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.

• Public consultation on “Commission Implementing Decision of XXX laying down rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the European positive lists of starting substances, compositions and constituents authorised for use in the manufacture of materials or products that come into contact with water intended for human consumption,” which establishes the European Positive List of starting substances for organic materials, compositions of metallic materials, organic constituents of cementitious materials and compositions of enamels, ceramic and other inorganic materials for use in the manufacture of materials or products in contact with drinking water. Comments are due by November 16, 2023. 
• Public consultation on “Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of xxx supplementing Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down the procedure regarding inclusion in or removal from the European positive lists of starting substances, compositions and constituents,” which lays down the procedure for amending the European positive list of starting substances, compositions, or constituents to be used in the manufacture of materials or products intended to be in contact with drinking water. Comments were due by November 13, 2023. 
• Public consultation on “Commission Implementing Decision of XXX laying down rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards methodologies for testing and accepting starting substances, compositions and constituents to be included in the European positive lists,” which sets out the testing and acceptance methodologies for the inclusion of starting substances, compositions, and constituents in the European positive lists. Comments are due by November 16, 2023. 
• Public consultation on “Commission Implementing Decision (EU) …/… of XXX laying down rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the procedures and methods for testing and accepting final materials as used in products that come into contact with water intended for human consumption,” which establishes the methodologies for testing and accepting the final materials. Only tested and accepted final materials can be used in products that come into contact with drinking water.
• Public consultation on “Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX supplementing Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down conformity assessment procedures for products that come into contact with water intended for human consumption and the rules for the designation of conformity assessment bodies involved in those procedure,” which specifies that the manufacturer, importer, or authorized representative must draw up an EU Declaration of Conformity for final materials in contact with drinking water. It also sets out the conformity assessment procedure and the rules for the designation of conformity assessment bodies. Comments are due by November 16, 2023. 
• Public consultation on “Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX supplementing Directive (EU) No 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing harmonised specifications for the marking of products that come into contact with water intended for human consumption,” which would draw up harmonized specifications for the marking of products to be used in contact with drinking water. Comments were due by November 13, 2023.