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Dear Colleagues, The summer months have been anything but quiet for our Association, bringing significant regulatory developments in Europe, continued scientific progress, an important milestone for the IFRA Standards and a new way of telling our story. In Europe, we welcomed two important signals of stability. The European Commission confirmed that it will not pursue a full legislative overhaul of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), opting instead for targeted modernization and stronger enforcement – a decision that provides much-needed certainty for our industry. We are engaging closely to ensure any adjustments remain science-based and proportionate, including case-by-case assessment rather than a blanket Mixture Assessment Factor and workable rules for the low-tonnage substances that matter so much to our sector. In parallel, co-legislators agreed the legal text establishing a stand-alone framework for the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which will bring the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) into the agency. We have consistently called for the SCCS to retain its independence and unique scientific expertise; while its integration is welcome, we were disappointed that the peer-led election of its Chairperson was not confirmed in the final text, and we will follow the transition closely. A major milestone for the fragrance industry’s product stewardship regime came at the end of August, when we published the End of Consultation Letter for the 52nd Amendment to the IFRA Standards, following the close of the public consultation on 12 June 2026. Developed with our expert groups, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) and the independent Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety, the Amendment will introduce 48 new restriction Standards addressing dermal sensitization – 37 of them also covering systemic toxicity – alongside revised Standards reflecting updated safety assessments and a recalibrated, exposure-based approach to furocoumarins in natural complex substances. The formal Notification is expected in January 2027, giving our members clear timelines to prepare. That science continued to advance over the summer. Through our IDEA project (International Dialogue for the Evaluation of Allergens), we presented new work on using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to support the risk assessment of fragrance skin sensitizers – both at the European Society of Contact Dermatitis and at the EPAA NAM User Forum hosted by ECHA in Helsinki, Finland. Together, these contributions mark a further step towards robust, human-relevant safety assessment that reduces reliance on animal testing. I am also pleased that we found a new way to share this work more widely, with the launch of the IFRA Behind the Scents podcast. Its first episode explores what Omnibus VI means for the future of fragrance, with our Regional Director for Europe, Aurélie Perrichet, explaining why a workable, science-based framework matters for manufacturers, regulators and the consumers who enjoy our products every day. Beyond Europe, dialogue with regulators continued to deepen. In Brazil, I joined Eduardo Valle, our Senior Regional Manager for Latin America, and Matthias Vey, our Vice-President for Scientific Affairs, for two days of technical exchange with the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) in Brasília, alongside our partner associations ABIFRA, ABIHPEC and ABIPLA. From a hands-on olfactory session to a workshop on the IFRA Standards and the joint IFRA-RIFM safety assessment process, the meeting showed how a shared understanding of the evidence underpins good regulation. Our engagement in Asia Pacific is deepening too: in September we will be in Nanjing, China to take part in the Annual Meeting and Expo of the China Association of Fragrance, Flavour and Cosmetic Industries (CAFFCI), at which I will give a presentation on global regulatory trends and address the association's ESG Forum. Thank you, as always, for your continued commitment to IFRA and to ensuring that fragrance thrives responsibly – guided by science, strengthened by collaboration and united by a shared sense of purpose. With preparations already turning towards our Global Fragrance Summit 2027 in Mumbai, I look forward to all that we will achieve together in the months ahead. Warm regards,
Alexander Mohr, PhD
President, International Fragrance Association
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