As reported in our July 17, 2025, blog item, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) began a public consultation on July 14, 2025, on its proposals to extend the UK REACH transitional registration submission deadlines. UK REACH was amended in 2023 to extend the deadlines three years to October 2026, October 2028, and October 2030. The proposed new deadlines under consultation were:
- Option 1: October 2029, October 2030, and October 2031;
- Option 2: April 2029, April 2031, and April 2033; and
- Option 3: April 2029, April 2030, and April 2031.
Defra stated that its preferred option is Option 1. Comments were due September 8, 2025.
On December 22, 2025, Defra published a summary of responses and government response. The summary presents an overview of the main themes and messages received during the consultation, alongside the government’s response. Defra states that “[o]verall, respondents supported the government’s assessment that extending the deadlines under either Option 1 or Option 2 would have negligible impact on the high levels of protection for human health and the environment under UK REACH.” Defra concluded that Option 1 “provides the most proportionate approach,” allowing additional time to reduce the burden on small and micro businesses and downstream users, while still ensuring that data become available “in a timely and orderly way.” Subject to the consent of Scottish and Welsh Ministers, the UK government intends to introduce legislation in 2026 extending the submission deadlines, moving them from October 27, 2026, 2028, and 2030 to October 27, 2029, 2030, and 2031.
According to Defra, the government also intends to introduce legislation, subject to the consent of Scottish and Welsh Ministers, to align the statutory compliance check dates under Article 41(5) with the new submission deadlines. Defra notes that this will ensure that compliance checks are carried out only after data have been submitted, “maintaining fairness for registrants and supporting effective regulatory oversight.”
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