The fragrance industry key recommendations for the REACH revision: enhancing economic resilience while safeguarding high safety standards

On 11 January 2025, the European Commission published its Commission work programme 2025 outlining key priorities, including ​“A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness”. At its core is the Clean Industrial Deal, designed to advance sustainability while reducing compliance burdens to strengthen industrial competitiveness.

As part of this initiative, the Chemicals Industry Package will introduce a targeted revision of REACH, aiming to improve regulatory efficiency while maintaining high safety and environmental standards. This presents a crucial opportunity to enhance Europe’s economic resilience by fostering innovation, ensuring regulatory predictability, and supporting internationally competitive industries. However, for regulations to be effective, they must also be practical, enforceable, and consistently applied across the EU. A regulatory framework that lacks clarity or is difficult to implement creates legal uncertainty, hinders investment, and weakens enforcement at the national level.

The fragrance industry, represented by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), plays a key role in Europe’s economy, operating at the intersection of agriculture, chemistry, and consumer goods. With 750 SMEs – representing 50% of the industry’s economic output – alongside large multinational players, the sector supplies over 500,000 everyday products while preserving stringent safety standards. A clear and proportionate regulatory framework is essential for sustaining Europe’s leadership in advanced ingredient development, cultural heritage and high-value-added manufacturing.

For Europe to remain a hub for fragrance innovation, manufacturing and sustainable growth, the REACH revision must strike the right balance – ensuring safety while eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens, preventing excessive compliance costs, and fostering competitiveness. This requires continued and structured dialogue between industry, policymakers, and stakeholders to ensure regulations are both practical and enforceable, safeguarding safety while strengthening industrial competitiveness.