Chemical regulatory notifications

Poison Centre Notifications (PCNs) are essential for both public health and safety and regulatory compliance when hazardous chemicals are involved. In the European Economic Area (EEA), Poison Centres handle over half a million calls annually, many related to accidental exposures.

By notifying, manufacturers and importers enable healthcare providers to respond quickly and effectively to chemical-related emergencies. These notifications provide vital information on chemical composition, hazards and emergency procedures, helping to mitigate health risks.

Quick links

• Poison Centre Notifications via the ECHA Portal
• National requirements outside the ECHA portal
• Enforcement – Understanding the Risks of Non-Compliance
• Detergent Notifications in the EU
• Classification & Labelling (C&L) Notifications in the EU
• SCIP Notifications in the EU
• Poison Centre Notifications Globally

Why Poison Centre Notifications are important

Stay compliant with EU regulations

PCNs are not just about safety, they’re also a legal requirement for hazardous chemicals in the EU. Compliance with CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, which helps ensure that your products meet European standards for public health and safety.

• CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008: Ensures hazardous chemical mixtures are correctly classified, labeled and packaged. Member States must designate bodies to collect information from manufacturers and users and share it with poison centres.  
  • Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation introduced harmonisation into the notification process, introducing a standardised notification format to streamline submissions across the EU.
• REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Requires manufacturers to include emergency information in Safety Data Sheets (SDS) including poison centre contact details. The final deadline for transitioning to the harmonised format and ECHA notification portal was January 1, 2025.

Ensure market access

Timely notifications are essential for maintaining uninterrupted market access. If you fail to submit your PCNs ahead of placing on the market, your products may face delays or even be restricted from sale within the EU. Meeting the regulatory requirements ensures you can continue selling across Member States without disruption.

Build trust and reputation

By notifying poison centres, you demonstrate your commitment to safety and responsible business practices. This proactive approach helps protect your reputation with customers, stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

What products require a Poison Centre Notification?

• Mixtures classified for health or physical hazards (e.g. corrosive, toxic, flammable)
• Consumer, professional, and/or industrial use products

Poison Centre Notifications via the ECHA Portal

Submitting a Poison Centre Notification via the ECHA portal offers several workability solutions. Depending on the product and role in the supply chain there are several alternative PCN submission types that can streamline compliance, create efficiencies or prevent sharing formulation information with importers. These different types of PCN notification have specific criteria that must be satisfied to ensure compliance.

Types of PCN notification 

National requirements outside the ECHA portal

While Annex VIII of CLP has improved harmonisation for PCNs across the EEA, individual member states can still enforce additional national requirements. These variations mean that businesses must often go beyond the ECHA Submission Portal to ensure full compliance.

Countries not connected to the ECHA portal

Currently Bulgaria is the last EU country not connected to the ECHA portal. All notifications must be submitted directly to the Bulgarian Poison Centre in the national format and language. Although we maintain regular communication with the Poison Centre, there are no immediate plans for Bulgaria to join the ECHA Submission Portal.

Countries requiring action before using a Poison Centre phone numbers

Some countries require specific steps, such as fees, forms, or local contact numbers, before their Poison Centre phone number can appear on your Safety Data Sheet (SDS):

• Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and Ireland - Submission may involve a fee and/or administrative form. 
  
  • Organisations solely relying on Poison Centre phone numbers are exposed to significant supply chain risks, as the poison centre phone number is intended to give medical advice to medical professionals only, and therefore are not equipped to provide meaningful advice and support to wider incidents such as chemical spills.

Learn how relying on European poison centres for emergency response exposes you to significant risk >

Nordic countries and Latvia: extra compliance steps

In addition to submitting Poison Centre Notifications via the ECHA portal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Latvia require:

• Annual tonnage reporting by the importer
• Submission through national PCN portals
• Linking notifications to importer accounts

Close collaboration with local importers is essential to meet these country-specific requirements and avoid compliance risks.

Non-EU / EEA countries with diverging requirements

Great Britain (GB)

Post-Brexit, GB follows its own chemical regulations. Poison Centre Notifications are voluntary and involve submitting a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) via email to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS). GB does not require Annex VIII compliance or the updated EU SDS format.

Northern Ireland

Under the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland continues to follow EU CLP and REACH. PCNs must be submitted in IUCLID i6z format and submitted directly to the NPIS. UFI codes are mandatory on labels for consumer and professional products, or SDSs for industrial products, as set out in EU Regulation 2020/878.

For companies supplying GB, Northern Ireland, and Ireland, combined notification services are available to streamline compliance across UK and EU jurisdictions.

Switzerland

Switzerland operates its own system (Tox InfoSuisse) independent of ECHA. Although not aligned with Article 45 of CLP, the Swiss system accepts UFI codes and EU-style PCN files through national adaptations.

Learn more about placing chemical products on the market in Switzerland >

Maintaining compliance with Poison Centre Notifications

Following the end of the PCN transition period on 1 January 2025, all hazardous mixtures on the EU market must now have an up-to-date PCN and Unique Formula Identifier (UFI). However, compliance doesn't end at submission.

PCNs must be actively maintained to reflect any changes in product composition, classification, or supply. Regulatory developments, such as Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) updates as well as internal factors like supplier changes or reformulations, may all trigger the need for updates.

Ricardo supports businesses with regulatory monitoring, UFI impact assessments, and assessing supplier SDSs for eligibility Interchangeable Component Group (ICG) to ensure continued compliance and reduce operational risk.

Learn more about solutions to maintain compliance >

Enforcement: understanding the risks of non-compliance

Ensuring accurate and timely Poison Centre Notifications (PCNs) is not just good practice, it’s a legal obligation with real consequences for non-compliance.

Under Article 47 of the CLP Regulation, all EU Member States must implement penalties for failure to comply with PCN and CLP requirements. These penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, and their enforcement is increasingly coordinated at the EU level.

Learn more about enforcement actions >

Are You at Risk?

PCNs are mandatory for mixtures classified for health and/or physical hazards. Non-compliance can lead to:

• Fines and legal action
• Delays or loss of market access
• Reputational damage

Detergent Notifications in the EU

The Detergent Regulation (EC No 648/2004) governs the safe use of detergents within the EU, requiring manufacturers to provide detailed information about chemical composition, usage, and safety for both public and environmental protection. The regulation also includes provisions for labelling detergents with specific safety and usage information.

Compliance with these requirements ensures that products meet EU standards for safety, performance, and environmental impact.

In addition to the PCNs for hazardous detergents required by CLP, some countries also require notification of non-hazardous detergents to their poison centre or other designated body. This may be through the ECHA portal for some countries, however others require submission through national portals using specific formats.

Classification & Labelling (C&L) Notifications in the EU

The Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation requires manufacturers and imports of chemicals in the EU to notify substance classifications, and labelling information to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This process ensures that chemical hazards are communicated effectively to downstream suppliers and users.

CLP notifications are crucial for maintaining safety and transparency in the supply chain, as they help to prevent accidents and health and environmental hazards associated with the misuse or mishandling of chemicals. In addition to notifying ECHA, manufacturers must also ensure that their products are properly labelled according to the hazards they pose, which includes information on physical, health and environmental hazards.

With changes to the classification system occurring regularly, it's important for businesses to stay informed and ensure that their chemical products are updated in line with the latest regulations. Non-compliance with CLP requirements can result in market restrictions, fines, and reputational damage.

Learn more about C&L Notifications >

SCIP Notifications in the EU

The SCIP database, managed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), tracks Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in articles and products placed on the EU market. As of January 2021, companies must notify articles that contain SVHCs at concentrations above 0.1% by weight.

SCIP notifications promote better management of hazardous substances within the EU's circular economy, ensuring these substances are adequately handled during the product lifecycle and at the end of life. The purpose of the database is to increase transparency regarding substances of concern in articles, which ultimately aids in waste recycling and better environmental management.

If your company produces or distributes articles containing SVHCs, you are required to notify the SCIP database, ensuring that hazardous substances are tracked across the supply chain. While only EU-based entities are responsible for submitting notifications, companies outside the EU can work with an EU-based representative to ensure compliance.

Learn more about SCIP Notifications >

Navigating compliance globally

Poison Centre Notifications globally

While EU Poison Centre Notification (PCN) deadlines have already passed, the global regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving. More countries are introducing poison centre requirements, and businesses must view PCNs not as an EU-only obligation, but as a key element of global chemical safety compliance.

As international regulators continue to prioritise public health and emergency preparedness, businesses that act now can reduce legal risks, avoid market delays, and safeguard their reputation. Proactive compliance will be critical in securing uninterrupted market access.

Learn more about chemical compliance in the US >

Voluntary Notifications beyond the EEA

Several non-EEA countries already support voluntary PCNs, including:

•    Australia

•    New Zealand

•    United States

•    South Africa

In these countries, Ricardo can assist with PCN submissions using 24/7 emergency response numbers, ensuring quick access to product information during chemical incidents. This supports healthcare professionals in delivering timely and effective emergency care, while also strengthening regulatory credibility.

Learn more about Poison Centre Notifications globally >

Why compliance matters

Complying with chemical regulatory notifications ensures market access, protects your brand reputation, and avoids penalties such as fines, product detainment, and criminal prosecution. Beyond the EU, similar notification systems are emerging globally, which highlights the importance of proactive compliance to avoid disruptions in the future.

Failure to adhere to regulations can result in enforcement actions, including goods being stopped at import, fines, and criminal prosecution. Organizations that stay informed about regulatory changes and work with experts in the field can reduce the risk of non-compliance and ensure smoother operations.

Partnering with a reliable, informed partner ensures businesses stay ahead of regulatory changes, maintain smooth operations, and meet safety expectations for their customers and stakeholders.

Contact us today for compliance support >