Detergents and Surfactants Regulation (2026)

This Regulation replaces the 2004 Detergents Regulation and establishes a modernised framework for detergents and surfactants. Main changes: the scope is extended to detergents containing microorganisms (which must meet the requirements of Annex II) and to sales of refills; manufacturers must create a Digital Product Passport (DPP) for each product and may place it on the market only after registering it in the registry, technical documentation and the DPP must be kept for 10 years, importers must verify that the DPP exists, and customs may carry out automated checks; some labelling information may be provided in digital form only, but health and environmental information and minimum instructions for use must remain on the physical label; surfactant biodegradability requirements are extended to films and polymers (2032-03-23) and to certain organic substances (2034-03-23); the phosphate limits for consumer laundry and dishwasher detergents are maintained; animal testing to obtain the data required under this Regulation is prohibited in principle.