On 26 March 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a 60-day consultation on the draft opinion of its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) on the proposed restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The consultation invites stakeholders to provide input on the socio-economic aspects of the proposed restriction, including the availability of alternatives, costs and benefits, and impacts across affected sectors. Submissions are to be made via a structured online questionnaire, supported by ECHA’s guidance for respondents.
Scope and Format of the Consultation
The consultation is conducted through the European Commission’s EUSurvey tool and consists of both sector-specific surveys and a general survey covering broader aspects of the draft opinion. The sector-specific surveys focus on the uses evaluated by SEAC, while the general survey allows stakeholders to comment on all aspects of the opinion, including uses not specifically assessed.
ECHA has also published guidance for respondents, together with a mapping of PFAS uses, to support stakeholders in preparing their submissions. The mapping provides a detailed overview of sectors, sub-uses and applications covered by the draft opinion and helps identify the relevant evaluation level for responses.
The mapping distinguishes between sectors specifically evaluated by SEAC and those not assessed in detail in the draft opinion. It covers 14 sectors, in addition to PFAS manufacturing, for which sector-specific surveys are provided. Other sectors, including areas such as cosmetics, food contact materials and packaging, textiles, electronics, transport, energy and medical devices, are not covered by sector-specific assessments and should instead be addressed through the general survey.
The consultation focuses exclusively on SEAC’s socio-economic assessment and does not reopen the scientific risk assessment carried out by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC).
Draft Opinion Published for Consultation
Alongside the launch of the consultation, ECHA has made SEAC’s draft opinion available for review, providing stakeholders with insight into the committee’s preliminary conclusions on the proposed restriction.
Key elements of SEAC’s draft opinion include:
- A broad sector-by-sector assessment reflecting the wide scope of the proposed PFAS restriction.
- Evaluation of the availability and technical and economic feasibility of alternatives across uses.
- Identification of uses where substitution is not yet possible, supporting the need for derogations and transition periods.
- Analysis of socio-economic impacts, including effects on industry, supply chains and wider society.
- Use-specific conclusions depending on applications and evaluation level.
- Consideration of additional risk management measures, including reporting and monitoring requirements for certain uses.
Next Steps in the Restriction Process
Following the consultation, SEAC is expected to adopt its final opinion before the end of 2026, taking into account the comments received. The final opinion will be submitted together with the opinion of the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) to the European Commission, which will decide on the final restriction.
