CLP Regulation amendments in 2026: what the EU Omnibus VI package brings

On 15 April 2026, the European Parliament took a significant step towards adopting amendments to the CLP Regulation. The Committees on the Environment (ENVI) and on the Internal Market (IMCO) voted for the Omnibus VI package, which proposes amendments to three regulations: CLP (1272/2008), the Cosmetic Products Regulation (1223/2009) and the Fertilising Products Regulation (2019/1009). The vote passed by a large majority: 114 of 127 MEPs, with the support of all the major political groups.

This is not the final adoption. The plenary session of the European Parliament is expected at the end of April 2026. After that, interinstitutional negotiations begin between the Parliament, the Council of the EU and the Commission, under the Cypriot presidency. But the direction is clear, and a lot of what has been causing companies problems for years is changing.

In this article I go through the concrete amendments proposed by COM(2025)531 and explain what they mean in practice.

Context: where Omnibus VI comes from

The revised CLP, adopted by Regulation 2024/2865, entered into force at the end of 2024. It brought a number of new obligations for labelling, label formatting and the advertising of hazardous chemicals. The problem was that some of these obligations proved to involve disproportionate costs in practice, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

With Regulation 2025/2439, the Commission had already extended the implementation deadlines. Omnibus VI goes a step further and proposes changes to the content of the obligations themselves. The Commission estimates that the amendments concerning label formatting could bring savings of at least 333 million euros for the EU chemical industry.

It is also worth pointing out the bigger picture: the provisions that Omnibus VI amends were not chosen at random. They are precisely the parts of the revised CLP that met the greatest resistance from industry: strict formatting rules, fixed deadlines for updating labels and extended obligations in advertising. They are the reason the stop-the-clock was introduced. If Omnibus VI is adopted in its proposed form, the practical outcome is that the strictest changes of the revised CLP will never be fully applied. This does not mean deregulation: the level of protection stays the same. But it does mean that part of the legislative path from 2024 to today goes in the bin.

Label formatting: the end of rigid rules

One of the most concrete amendments concerns label formatting. The revised CLP introduced a mandatory minimum font size, line spacing and black text on a white background. These rules would have caused serious costs, especially for products carrying labels in several languages.

COM(2025)531 deletes those rules. The new text of Article 31(3) only requires that the label be “clearly and indelibly marked”, that its elements “stand out clearly from the background” and that they be “easily legible”. The specific technical parameters disappear.

For companies selling in Belgium or similar markets with a multilingual requirement, this is a direct solution to a problem that in some cases forced them to enlarge their packaging or use more expensive fold-out labels.

Deadline for updating the label: the fixed deadline is abolished

The previous Article 30(1) set a six-month deadline for updating the label after a new or stricter classification of a substance. This deadline proved unworkable in practice, especially for companies that outsource label printing or use complex fold-out labels.

Omnibus VI abolishes the fixed deadline. The new wording requires the label to be updated “without undue delay” after the supplier becomes aware of the new classification. This provides the necessary flexibility without removing the obligation.

An important note: this amendment does not mean free interpretation. Any delay must be justified by circumstances in the supply chain, not by inaction.

Small packaging: derogation without proving impossibility

In its previous version, Article 29(2) allowed a reduced amount of information on the label for small packaging, but only if the company could prove that applying the full label was technically impossible.

The amendment to Article 29(2) removes the obligation to prove the technical impossibility of applying the full label for smaller packaging. Specific rules for packaging below 10 ml are set out in Annex I, section 1.5.2.4.

Advertising and distance sales: B2B is excluded

The revised CLP introduced a requirement that advertisements for hazardous chemicals include pictograms, signal words and hazard statements. This obligation proved particularly problematic for digital and online advertising formats.

Omnibus VI proposes a substantial amendment to Articles 48 and 48a. The obligations are limited exclusively to communication aimed at the general public. For B2B channels, the REACH Regulation already ensures an appropriate flow of information through SDS documentation, so additional obligations are considered a disproportionate burden.

For advertisements aimed at consumers, a simpler wording is introduced: the obligation to include the sentence “Always read the label and product information before use.” The same requirement applies to plant protection products and biocidal products, which achieves consistency across different regulations.

Digital label: extended scope

The revised CLP had already opened up the possibility of placing certain information exclusively on a digital label. Omnibus VI extends that possibility to the contact details of additional suppliers in the supply chain.

The concept of a “digital contact” is also introduced as a mandatory label element alongside the address and telephone number. A digital contact can be any current online channel through which the supplier can be contacted, without any obligation to register or download an app.

Cosmetics and fertilisers: a brief overview

For cosmetic products, a formal procedure is introduced for adding colourants, preservatives and UV filters to Annexes IV to VI of the Cosmetic Products Regulation. Until now no such procedure was laid down, which created legal uncertainty.

The obligation to notify the Commission in advance of cosmetic products containing nanomaterials is also abolished. For CMR substances of category 1A and 1B, transition periods are introduced: 12 months for placing on the market and 24 months for products already on the market.

For fertilisers, the requirement for extended REACH registration is abolished, which had been a particular burden on SMEs in this sector.

Consequences for Serbian companies

Serbia harmonizes the CLP Regulation with a time lag of 12 to 18 months. But Serbian companies exporting to the EU market apply EU rules from the moment the product is placed on the market, with no option of waiting for domestic harmonization.

The CLP amendments that are finally adopted will directly affect the labelling and SDS documentation requirements for your products going to the EU market. Transition periods start running from the date the regulation enters into force.

Planning the adjustment of documentation should start now, before the EU institutions adopt the final text.

What next

The European Parliament’s plenary session on Omnibus VI is expected at the end of April 2026. After the plenary session, interinstitutional negotiations begin, and their outcome determines the final text of the amendments. The date of entry into force will only be known once the regulation is published in the Official Journal of the EU.

I am following this process and will publish updates as soon as relevant information becomes available. The CLP amendments brought by Omnibus VI are not abstract legislation. They are a direct operational issue for every company that places hazardous mixtures on the EU market.

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This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific situations, consult a licensed chemical adviser or a lawyer specialising in chemical regulation.