European Union

Compliance · Nº 09 · European Union

EU REACH

REACH & SVHC disclosure

Applies to — Any product sold in the EU containing chemical substances

REACH is the EU framework that registers chemical substances. For labels, the practical obligation is SVHC disclosure: a Substance of Very High Concern present above 0.1% by weight must be disclosed to buyers. REACH needs no special mark on the product — but the SVHC information must be communicated down the supply chain.

What it is

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is the EU framework for managing chemical substances. Unlike a food or safety mark, it does not put a symbol on your product — its practical touchpoint for a label buyer is the duty to know and disclose certain substances.

The SVHC rule

A Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) present above 0.1% by weight must be disclosed to buyers. This runs through the supply chain: your material supplier tells you, and you can pass it on. There is no CE-style mark for REACH — the obligation is information, not a label symbol.

How to comply

Ask your material supplier for a REACH/SVHC statement for the facestock, adhesive and ink, and keep it on file to pass to your own buyers on request. Because the SVHC candidate list is updated over time, treat it as a living requirement and re-confirm periodically rather than once.

Common questions

Answered
straight.

What does REACH require for labels?

The practical obligation is SVHC disclosure: a Substance of Very High Concern present above 0.1% by weight must be disclosed to buyers. REACH needs no special mark — it requires that the information travels down the supply chain.

Is there a REACH mark like the CE mark?

No. RoHS compliance shows via the CE mark, but REACH needs no special mark — it requires SVHC information to be communicated. Ask your supplier for a REACH/SVHC statement.

General guidance — not legal advice

This is a plain-English overview to help you ask the right questions — not a legal opinion or a compliance certification. Requirements change and depend on your specific product, market, and packaging. Always confirm with your supplier’s compliance documents and, where it matters, a qualified regulatory advisor.

Official source · ECHA — Understanding REACH ↗

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