Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/378 of 20 February 2026 not renewing the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-types 8 and 18 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2026-02-20
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: biocide, chemical product, insecticide, market approval, preservative, wood product








L_202600378EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/378


23.2.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2026/378
of 20 February 2026
         
not renewing the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-types 8 and 18 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products (1), and in particular Article 14(4), first subparagraph, point (b), thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Etofenprox was included in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) as an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 (wood preservatives). Pursuant to Article 86 of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, it was therefore considered approved under that Regulation subject to the requirements set out in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC.












(2)


The approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 was to expire on 31 January 2020. On 27 July 2018, an application was submitted in accordance with Article 13(1) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 for the renewal of that approval.












(3)


Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/994 (3) postponed the expiry date of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 to 31 October 2022, to allow sufficient time for the examination of the application for the renewal of that approval. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1487 (4) postponed further the expiry date of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 8, to 31 October 2026, due to delays linked with the delivery of additional studies needed to assess the criteria for the determination of endocrine-disrupting properties of etofenprox.












(4)


Etofenprox was also approved as an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-type 18 by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1036/2013 (5) subject to the conditions set out in the Annex to that Regulation.












(5)


The approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 18 was to expire on 30 June 2025. On 25 October 2023, an application was submitted in accordance with Article 13(1) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 for the renewal of that approval.












(6)


Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/434 (6) postponed the expiry date of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 18 to 31 December 2027, to allow sufficient time for the examination of the application for the renewal.












(7)


However, on 12 June 2025, the applicant who submitted the applications for the renewal of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products for both product-types 8 and 18 informed the Commission that it withdrew its applications for the renewal of the approval.












(8)


Consequently, as it has not been established that etofenprox still meets the conditions laid down in Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, it is appropriate to not renew the approval.












(9)


In order to allow sufficient time for economic operators to adapt, treated articles treated with or incorporating etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-types 8 and 18 may be placed on the market for a period of 180 days after the entry into force of this Decision.












(10)


The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The approval of etofenprox as an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-types 8 and 18 is not renewed.


Article 2
Treated articles treated with or intentionally incorporating etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-types 8 and 18 shall no longer be placed on the market as from 11 September 2026.


Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 20 February 2026.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 167, 27.6.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/528/oj.

(2)  Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market (OJ L 123, 24.4.1998, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1998/8/oj).

(3)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/994 of 17 June 2019 postponing the expiry date of approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 (OJ L 160, 18.6.2019, p. 26, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2019/994/oj).

(4)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1487 of 7 September 2022 postponing the expiry date of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 233, 8.9.2022, p. 85, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2022/1487/oj).

(5)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1036/2013 of 24 October 2013 approving etofenprox as an existing active substance for use in biocidal products for product-type 18 (OJ L 283, 25.10.2013, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2013/1036/oj).

(6)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/434 of 5 March 2025 postponing the expiry date of the approval of etofenprox for use in biocidal products of product-type 18 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L, 2025/434, 6.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/434/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/378/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)