Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP)

The Regulation first published in the Official Journal of the European Union contained 1,355 pages, and numerous Adaptations to Technical Progress (ATPs) updating the legal text have since been published. Like REACH, as an EU Regulation CLP applies directly in all 28 Member States of the EU and also in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein as members of the European Economic Area (EEA). 

CLP is the successor to the Dangerous Substances and Dangerous Preparations Directives; like these Directives, CLP requires chemicals to be classified for their hazards and labelled accordingly.

CLP was introduced to put into place a new EU-wide scheme for classification, labelling and packaging hazardous chemicals appropriately before placing them on the market. For many years the EU had a robust system based on the Directives dealing with substances and mixtures. In other parts of the World there were other schemes – or nothing at all. After many years of international negotiations, a “globally harmonised” scheme (GHS) was developed and published by the UN. The EU was the first major jurisdiction to amend its old scheme in favour of one based on the GHS. In doing so, however, it retained some important elements of the old system to avoid any loss of protection in the EU.