

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is intensively updating its key guidelines for the assessment of biocidal products. For manufacturers, these changes bring both new challenges and opportunities to enhance documentation in line with the highest safety and regulatory standards.
The latest update to Volume III (Parts B + C), focused on human health risk assessment and evaluation, is entering its final stage. Consultations with competent authorities were completed in June 2025, and publication is expected in the third quarter of the year.
Equally significant is the update to Volume V, dedicated to the evaluation of resistance to biocidal active substances and products. Following the April meeting of the Product Evaluation Group (PEG), consultations with competent authorities and the European Commission will begin in mid-August 2025. Publication is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.
To remain compliant and competitive, companies should begin preparing now.
The upcoming updates to ECHA guidelines are more than just regulatory adjustments—they represent an opportunity to elevate the safety, efficacy, and market readiness of biocidal products. Harmonized procedures across the EU will streamline compliance processes and support expansion into new European markets.
Source: Javier Sanchez Saez, ECHA Biocidal Products Unit, “ECHA communications”, 108th CA meeting, June 19, 2025