The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) plans to launch a consultation on the draft opinion of its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) regarding the proposed EU-wide restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in March 2026.
This follows ECHA’s 2023 public consultation, which attracted over 5,600 scientific and technical comments. The five national authorities acting as the Dossier Submitter have since reviewed this input and refined their proposal. The updated Background Document now serves as the foundation for ECHA’s scientific committees to develop their opinions and may continue to evolve as the assessment progresses.
The SEAC draft opinion will focus on the socio-economic aspects of the proposed restriction, including the availability and feasibility of alternative substances and technologies. SEAC aims to conclude its draft opinion during its March 2026 meeting, after which a consultation will open for 60 days, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback.
Consultation Structure
The consultation will take the form of a structured online survey. Participants will be invited to respond to targeted questions on the potential impacts of restricting PFAS across different sectors and on the availability of alternatives.
Confidential information will be treated appropriately. Please note that risk-related information will not be considered, as this is addressed separately by ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC).
All responses must be submitted directly through the survey fields—attachments will not be accepted. This approach aims to streamline the review and processing of input.
The consultation will be open to all interested parties, including industry representatives, NGOs, researchers, and the general public. Stakeholders are encouraged to prepare in advance to ensure that SEAC’s final opinion is scientifically robust and fit for purpose.
To assist stakeholders, ECHA held an online information session on 30 October 2025 and will publish consultation guidelines explaining how to submit relevant and usable information.
The link to this ECHA online meeting recording:
https://echa.europa.eu/-/webinar-consultation-on-pfas-draft-opinion
Key Points:
- SEAC will begin its consultation in spring 2026, with the exact date confirmed in March.
- The consultation will use an online survey format (no attachments permitted).
- The survey will focus on impacts of the proposed restriction and available alternatives.
- ECHA’s webinar on 30 October 2025 and accompanying guidelines will support participants.
- SEAC aims to finalise its opinion by the end of 2026.
ECHA’s scientific committees, composed of independent experts from EU Member States, are currently reviewing the proposal. The European Commission, in consultation with Member States, will take the final decision on the restriction.
Next Steps for ESA
Following ECHA’s webinar on 30 October, once the consultation guidelines are available, ESA members will be invited to provide information on the potential impacts of the restriction and possible alternatives.
Based on this input, ESA will prepare a Position Statement Paper ahead of the public consultation, to be shared with all members.
More information:
PFAS restriction proposal –state of play and next steps
UPFAS – Overview of the Background Document
Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA