Restriction

Restriction and authorisation constitute two regulatory instruments under REACH to manage the risks of hazardous substances.

Restrictions are a tool to protect human health and the environment from chemicals when they pose an unacceptable risk.

Restrictions may vary greatly in scope and conditions. They may limit or ban the manufacture, import, placing on the market or use of a substance. They may set out specific conditions such as technical measures or labelling requirements. Restrictions may apply to any substance on its own, in a mixture or in articles, including those that do not require registration.

Restrictions are not applicable to on-site isolated intermediates, substances used in scientific research and development and substances that only pose risks to human health through their use in cosmetics.

A Member State, or ECHA on request of the European Commission, can propose restrictions if they find that the risks need to be addressed on an EU-wide basis. A visual summarising the restriction phases can be found here: https://echa.europa.eu/en/restriction-process

Restriction and authorisation can be linked or used to ‘complement’ each other, as a restriction may be proposed on articles containing substances that are in the Authorisation list (Annex XIV). Here ECHA may suggest a restriction on its own initiative.

The ECHA webpages dedicated to Restrictions are accessible through this link: https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/restriction/

ECHA has prepared a table of substances or group of substances that are restricted by Annex XVII to the REACH Regulation: https://echa.europa.eu/substances-restricted-under-reach

Last page update: 7 August 2025