On September 7, 2026, the European Commission officially adopted a revised draft proposal, intending to include long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids and their salts, related compounds LCPFCAs (C₉-C₂₁) in the control list of the POPs Regulation [Annex I]. The regulation will take effect 20 days after its official publication, with the implementation date scheduled for December 16, 2026, when it will be directly and uniformly applicable to all member states.
The core amendments to the draft are as follows—proposing to add the following entries in Part A of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021:
Intermediate Uses and Other Specific Exemptions
For the purposes of this Article, Paragraph 1(b) of Article 4 shall apply to situations where the total concentration of C₉-C₂₁ PFCAs and their salts present in substances, mixtures, or articles is equal to or below 0.025 mg/kg (0.0000025% by mass).
For the purposes of this Article, Article 4(1)(b) shall apply to the total concentration of C₉-C₂₁ PFCAs in substances, mixtures, or articles where the sum of related compounds does not exceed 0.26 mg/kg (0.0000026% by mass).
3. As an exception to points 1 and 2, for the purposes of this Article, the concentration of C₉-C₂₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds present in substances used as transport-separated intermediates within the meaning of point (c) of Article 3(15) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and meeting the strict control conditions specified in paragraph (a) to (f) of Article 18(4) of that Regulation for the production of fluorinated compounds with fully fluorinated carbon chains equal to or shorter than 6 atoms shall be subject to Article 4(1)(b) provided that the total concentration does not exceed 10 mg/kg (0.001% by mass).
4. As an exception to point 1, for the purposes of this Article, paragraph (b) of Article 4, Section 1 shall apply to:
The applicable period for cases where the total concentration of C₉-C₁₄ PFCAs present in fluoroplastics and fluororubber containing perfluoroalkoxy groups is equal to or below 0.1 mg/kg (0.00001% by mass) extends until December 16, 2030;
For the case where the total concentration of C₁₅-C₂₁ PFCAs present in fluoroplastics and fluororubber containing perfluoroalkoxy groups equals or is below 15 mg/kg (0.0015% by mass), the provision applies until December 16, 2030;
The total concentration of C₉-C₂₁ PFCAs present in fluoroplastics and fluororubber containing perfluoroalkoxy groups shall not exceed 1 mg/kg (0.0001% by mass), effective from December 17, 2030.
5. As an exemption from point 1, for the purpose of this article, Article 4, paragraph 1 (b) shall apply to:
-The situation where the total concentration of C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs and their salts present in PTFE micro powders produced by ionizing irradiation or thermal degradation, as well as industrial and professional mixtures and articles containing PTFE micro powders, is equal to or less than 1 mg/kg (0.0001% by mass), applies until December 16, 2030;
-The situation where the total concentration of C ₁₅ - C ₂₁ PFCAs and their salts present in PTFE micro powders produced by ionizing irradiation or thermal degradation, as well as industrial and professional mixtures and articles containing PTFE micro powders, is equal to or less than 15mg/kg (0.0015% by mass), applies until December 16, 2030;
-The situation where the total concentration of C ₉ - C ₂ PFCAs and their salts present in PTFE micro powders produced by ionizing irradiation or thermal degradation, as well as industrial and professional mixtures and articles containing PTFE micro powders, is equal to or less than 1 mg/kg (0.0001% by mass), applies from December 17, 2030.
All unintentional formation of C ₉ - C ₂ PFCAs emissions during the production and use of PTFE micro powder should be avoided. If unavoidable, they should be minimized as much as possible within technical and practical feasibility.
6. As an exemption from points 1 and 2, for the purpose of this article, item 1 (b) of Article 4 shall apply to the concentration of C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs or any of its salts in the fire fighting foam installed in the system to suppress liquid fuel vapor and extinguish liquid fuel fires (Class B fires), which is equal to or less than 1 mg/kg (0.0001% by mass), and any combination of any separate C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs related compounds or C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs related compounds when the concentration is equal to or less than 10 mg/kg (0.001% by mass). The above limits apply until August 3, 2028.
7. As an exemption from points 1 and 2, for the purpose of this article, paragraph 1 (b) of Article 4 shall apply to the case where the total concentration of C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs, their salts and C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs related compounds existing in non fluorine fire fighting foam and derived from fire fighting equipment that has been cleaned in accordance with the best feasible technology is equal to or less than 10 mg/kg (0.001% by mass). 8. By December 30, 2030, it is allowed to put C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds on the market and use them in spare parts and semiconductors for maintenance of electronic devices put on the market before December 31, 2023.
Before December 16, 2031, it is allowed to put C ₁₅ - C ₂₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds on the market and use them in semiconductors used for spare parts, provided that C ₁₅ - C ₂₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds are first used in the semiconductors replaced or repaired by the spare parts.
Articles containing C ₉ - C ₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds that were used within the European Union before December 31, 2023, may continue to be used.
Items containing C ₁₅ - C ₂₁ PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds that were used within the European Union before December 17, 2026, may continue to be used.
Among the three substances that entered the legislative process at the same time as LCPFCA, chlorpyrifos and LCPFCA have completed their review, and currently only MCCP (medium chain chlorinated paraffins) is still in the review stage.
