The CLP Regulation (for "Classification, Labelling and Packaging") is a

European Union regulation A regulation is a legal act of the European Union that becomes immediately enforceable as law in all member states simultaneously. Regulations can be distinguished from directives which, at least in principle, need to be transposed into nation ...

from 2008, which aligns the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

system of classification, labelling and packaging of

chemical substance A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wi ...

s and mixtures to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS). It is expected to facilitate global trade and the harmonised communication of hazard information of chemicals and to promote regulatory efficiency. It complements the 2006

Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union regulation dating from 18 December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human he ...

(REACH) Regulation (EC No 1907/2006)Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency.
'' OJEC'' L396, 30.12.2006, pp. 1–849. and replaces the current system contained in the Dangerous Substances Directive (67/548/EEC) and the

Dangerous Preparations Directive The Dangerous Preparations Directive is a European Union directive in the field of occupational safety and health and consumer protection. It complements the Dangerous Substances Directive (67/548/EEC) and replaces a previous Dangerous Preparati ...

(1999/45/EC).Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 1999 concerning the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations.
'' OJEC'' L200, 20.7.1999, pp. 1–68.

Content

The European Union's 2008 Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation incorporates the classification criteria and labelling rules agreed at the UN level, the so-called Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). It introduced new classification criteria,

european hazard symbols European hazard symbols for chemicals are pictograms defined by the European Union for labelling chemical packaging (for storage and workplace) and containers (for transportation). They are standardised currently by the CLP/GHS classification. ...

(pictograms) and

Risk and Safety Statements {{short description, System of hazard codes and phrases for labeling dangerous chemicals and compounds Risk and Safety Statements, also known as R/S statements, R/S numbers, R/S phrases, and R/S sentences, is a system of hazard codes and phrases for ...

for labelling, while taking into account elements which were part of the prior EU legislation. The regulation requires companies to appropriately classify, label and package their substances and mixtures before placing them on the market. It aims to protect workers, consumers and the environment by labelling that reflects a particular chemical's possible hazards. It also addresses the notification of classifications, the establishment of a list of harmonised classifications and the creation of a classification and labelling inventory, as required by REACH.

Harmonised classification and labelling

Classification and labelling is harmonised to ensure an adequate risk management for hazards of highest concern (

carcinogenicity A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive sub ...

mutagenicity In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations can cause cancer i ...

reproductive toxicity Reproductive toxicity refers to the potential risk from a given chemical, physical or biologic agent to adversely affect both male and female fertility as well as offspring development. Reproductive toxicants may adversely affect sexual function ...

(CMR) and respiratory sensitisers) and for other substances on a case-by-case basis. This is done through the so-called harmonised classification and labelling (CLH). Substances having CLH are listed in Annex VI to the CLP Regulation. Manufacturers, importers and downstream users of such substances and of mixtures containing such substances have to apply the CLH.

Unique formula identifier

The

unique formula identifier The unique formula identifier (UFI) is a code printed on products with hazardous mixtures in the European Economic Area (EEA), meant to help calls to poison control centers to determine the contents. The UFI is mandated in the European Economic A ...

(UFI, 16-digit code) will appear on product labels as a new identification element from 2020. By 2025, the UFI will become mandatory on the label of all products classified for health or physical hazards. Importers and downstream users placing such products on the market must provide specific product information, including the UFI, to poison centres.

Implementation

The regulation came into force in January 2009. Manufacturers and importers had already pre-registered more than 140,000 substances with the

European Chemicals Agency The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA; ) is an agency of the European Union which manages the technical and administrative aspects of the implementation of the European Union regulation called Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restrict ...

under the REACH Regulation. They had until 1 December 2010 to propose "provisional classifications" for these substances, which have been used for the labelling of pure substances since that date. The deadline for classifying mixtures was 31 May 2015. The deadline for re-labelling and re-packaging of products already on the market was two years later: 1 June 2017.

Further legislation 2008–2009

In 2008, Directive 2008/112/EC and regulation (EC) No 1336/2008 adapted classification-based provisions in other existing EU legislation (“downstream legislation”) to the new rules. Pursuant to article 53 of the CLP Regulation, in 2009 a first adaptation to the technical and scientific progress (ATP) was made with Commission Regulation 790/2009.Commission Regulation (EC) No 790/2009 of 10 August 2009 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical and scientific progress, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures
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References

External links

European Commission Classification and Labelling

Consolidated version of the CLP Regulation (without 8th and 9th ATP)

U.S. Commercial Service

CLP label generator
{{Portal bar, European Union, Law European Union regulations Occupational safety and health 2008 in law 2008 in the European Union Regulation of chemicals in the European Union