EU Proposes Restrictions on Hydrogenated Terphenyls, REACH Regulation Annex XVII Set for New Amendment

On May 8, 2026, the European Union submitted a formal notification (G/TBT/N/EU/1205) to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, proposing to amend Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation to restrict hydrogenated terphenyls (PHT). The draft is currently in the WTO member comment period, with the deadline for public comments set for July 7, 2026.

Key Restriction Provisions

Controlled Substance	Hydrogenated terphenyls (CAS No: 61788-32-7, EC No: 262-967-7)
Restriction Scope	Prohibition on the use or placing on the market, whether as a substance on its own, or present in other substances, mixtures, or articles at a concentration ≥0.1% w/w
Effective Date	Formal implementation 18 months after the regulation enters into force
Civil Aviation Exception	The restriction will apply 10 years after the regulation enters into force

Exemptions

Industrial Heat Transfer Systems: Use as heat transfer fluids within the temperature range of 250°C–350°C, provided that Strictly Controlled Closed System (SCCS) conditions are met
Defense Applications: Fully exempted
Transitional Protection:

Civil aircraft placed on the market before 10 years prior to the regulation's entry into force may continue to be used
Mixtures and articles placed on the market before 18 months prior to the regulation's entry into force may continue to be used

Implementation Timeline

The European Commission plans to formally adopt the amended regulation in the fourth quarter of 2026. Once published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ), the regulation will enter into force 20 days later. Taking into account the 18-month implementation buffer, full compliance is expected to be required around the first half of 2028.

About the CIRS Group

Established in China in 2007, the CIRS Group is a global product safety and regulatory consultancy with a strong presence across the UK, EU, Asia, and the United States.

CIRS provides end-to-end regulatory compliance solutions for the chemical industry, including UK/EU REACH, GB/EU CLP, global GHS compliance, SDS authoring, and chemical risk management. Our multidisciplinary services also include laboratory testing, regulatory strategy, product stewardship, R&D support, and global market access consulting.

With extensive expertise in both Europe and Asia-Pacific regulatory systems, CIRS helps businesses reduce compliance risk, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate access to international markets across chemical, biocides, cosmetics, food, and consumer goods.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

Further Information

Document

We have launched a LinkedIn newsletter to keep you up to date on the latest developments across the chemical industry including food and FCMs and personal and home care.