Exploring the Interaction Between the ESPR and EU Chemicals Legislation: Regulating Chemicals and the Presence of Substances of Concern in EU Product Legislation

Ida Mae de Waal

doi:10.1163/18760104-bja10002

Exploring the Interaction Between the ESPR and EU Chemicals Legislation: Regulating Chemicals and the Presence of Substances of Concern in EU Product Legislation

Ida Mae de Waal^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The ESPR enables the regulation of both chemicals as a product group and the presence of substances of concern in products. An examination of several key elements of the ESPR demonstrates that regulating chemicals and substances of concern from a sustainable product perspective raises questions regarding the delineation of scope and interaction between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation. By analyzing these questions, this article identifies a need for greater clarity, coordination and alignment at the interface between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation, which may be placed within a broader context of the Safe and Sustainable by Design approach and the EU’s ambition of creating a coherent legal framework regulating the life cycle of chemicals, materials and products.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	154-180
Number of pages	27
Journal	Journal for European Environmental and Planning Law
Volume	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/18760104-bja10002
Publication status	Published - 10 Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Ida Mae de Waal, 2026. Published with license by Koninklijke Brill BV. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Keywords

chemicals
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
EU chemicals legislation
EU product legislation
substances of concern

Access to Document

10.1163/18760104-bja10002Licence: CC BY

jeep-article-p154_009Final published version, 989 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "The ESPR enables the regulation of both chemicals as a product group and the presence of substances of concern in products. An examination of several key elements of the ESPR demonstrates that regulating chemicals and substances of concern from a sustainable product perspective raises questions regarding the delineation of scope and interaction between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation. By analyzing these questions, this article identifies a need for greater clarity, coordination and alignment at the interface between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation, which may be placed within a broader context of the Safe and Sustainable by Design approach and the EU{\textquoteright}s ambition of creating a coherent legal framework regulating the life cycle of chemicals, materials and products.",

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AB - The ESPR enables the regulation of both chemicals as a product group and the presence of substances of concern in products. An examination of several key elements of the ESPR demonstrates that regulating chemicals and substances of concern from a sustainable product perspective raises questions regarding the delineation of scope and interaction between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation. By analyzing these questions, this article identifies a need for greater clarity, coordination and alignment at the interface between the ESPR and EU chemicals legislation, which may be placed within a broader context of the Safe and Sustainable by Design approach and the EU’s ambition of creating a coherent legal framework regulating the life cycle of chemicals, materials and products.

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Exploring the Interaction Between the ESPR and EU Chemicals Legislation: Regulating Chemicals and the Presence of Substances of Concern in EU Product Legislation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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