G/TBT/N/EU/920  
5 September 2022  
(22-6596) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Comm ission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CC CN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Products 
containing intentionally -added microplastics (particles with dimensions below 5 mm that 
are formed or coated by synthetic solid org anic polymers which are insoluble and non -
biodegradable).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft 
Commission Regulation amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council co ncerning the Registration, Evaluation, 
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards synthetic polymer 
microparticles; (13 page(s), in English), (15 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This draft Regulation would introduce a ne w entry to Annex 
XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.  
It would prohibit the placing on the market of microplastics intentionally added to products 
in concentration above 0.01% by weight. (Bio)degradable, water -soluble, inorganic and 
natural polymers are excluded from the scope of the restriction. The draft Regulation 
provides for a number of derogations from the ban on the placing on the market of 
microplastics, inter alia for uses at industrial sites or where microplastics releases could 
be avoided. For derogated uses, the draft Regulation requires that microplastics releases 
are 1) minimised though appropriate instructions for use and disposal of products and 2) 
monitored and reported annually to the European Chemicals Agency.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  To limit releases of microplastics and prevent their accumulation into the 
environment  G/TBT/N/EU/920  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the 
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH Regulation): 
http://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1423064258789&uri=CELEX:32006R1907  
Annex XV dossier for restriction and op inions of ECHA Committees  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Fourth quarter of 2022.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  20 days from publication in the Official Journal of 
the EU. The restriction on the placing on the market (sale ban) of products containing 
microbeads and products containing microplastics for which a transitional period is not 
specified would apply at entry into force. For other products containing microplastics, the 
application of the sale ban would be deferred between 4 and 12 ye ars, depending on the 
product concerned.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
European Commission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -
databases/tbt/en/  
https://members.wto.org/crnatta chments/2022/TBT/EEC/22_5968_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/EEC/22_5968_01_e.pdf