As the EU prepares to revise its REACH regulation, the fragrance industry is calling for a smarter and balanced approach that maintains high safety standards while supporting innovation and industrial resilience.

In a new position paper, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) outlines practical recommendations to improve the workability and scientific basis of REACH, while avoiding disproportionate compliance burdens – for all companies including SMEs.

“Our sector depends on a clear, proportionate regulatory framework to continue delivering safe ingredients that make a wide range of consumer products possible - supporting everyday habits and addressing essential needs, particularly in terms of hygiene, well-being, and quality of life” said Alexander Mohr PhD, President of IFRA. “REACH must remain practical, enforceable and science-based, preserving a risk-based approach. The stakes are high—not only for our industry, but for Europe’s role as a hub for innovation, manufacturing and global competitiveness.”

The fragrance industry supplies ingredients for over 500,000 everyday products and includes more than 750 SMEs, responsible for a large portion of economic activity. Fragrance ingredients are used in low concentrations, leading to minimal consumer exposure while delivering essential olfactory and functional benefits.

Key IFRA recommendations include:

✓ Make rules clearer and more coordinated, improving the dialogue with EU authorities.

✓ Ensure proportionate rules, to support competitiveness.

✓ Preserve a balanced risk management system, ensuring that regulatory measures are proportionate to the actual exposure to humans and the environment.

✓ Ensure scientific rigor in assessing the combined exposure to multiple chemical substances, avoiding a blanket Mixture Assessment Factor (MAF)

✓ Accelerate the regulatory acceptance and use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and Next Generation Risk Assessments (NGRAs) to reduce animal testing.

✓ Streamline REACH implementation to reduce compliance costs, improve digital systems and ensure effective enforcement.

The full position paper is available: here