On September 13, 2023, the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) Enforcement Forum decided to make its advice on the enforceability of REACH restriction proposals public. It officially published its first advice on the proposal to restrict creosote and related substances in treated wood.

On August 25, 2023, the European Commission released the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1656 amending Regulation (EU) No 649/2012. 35 chemicals (27 pesticides and 8 industrial chemicals) were added to Annex I of (EU)2023/1656. Currently, there are 295 entries in the Annex I.

On July 17, 2023, the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2023/1464 to amend the REACH Regulation by introducing a new restriction – Article 77, which specifically addresses formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing substances in Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation. This new provision will come into effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This update can be seen as a comprehensive control measure by the EU to regulate formaldehyde, and the scope of applicable products is no longer limited to those containing boards; it now encompasses almost all lightweight consumer products, including furniture, toys, baby and children's products, tools, stationery, fitness equipment, pet supplies, and sanitary products, among others.

On March 15, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published a public consultation on the Notice of the Entry into Force (Draft for Comments) of the Amendments to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants to List Three Persistent Organic Pollutants Including Polychlorinated Naphthalenes, and the Amendments to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants to List Three Persistent Organic Pollutants Including Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins. The consultation closed on March 27, 2023.

On January 13, 2023, five countries – Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden – submitted a restriction proposal to ECHA on Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) under REACH. On February 7, ECHA published the detailed restriction proposal of roughly 10,000 PFASs, which is the broadest restriction proposal in history. Next, ECHA will start a six-month public consultation on PFASs on March 22.

On April 6 2022, ECHA and the Member States have assessed a group of 148 bisphenols and recommended that more than 30 bisphenols need to be restricted due to their potential hormonal or reprotoxic effects. Many bisphenols are known endocrine disrupters both for human health and the environment and may lead to exposures to both professionals and consumers. Bisphenols are mostly used as intermediates in the manufacture of polymers or polymer resins, such as polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins and hardeners. They are also used in thermal paper, inks and coatings, adhesives, textiles, paper or in board. As they are widely used, a group restriction has been identified as the best way to manage the risks of 34 bisphenols.

On 16 Oct. 2021, China MEE has released the revised list of ozone depleting substances under control for public comments. Under the requirements of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer agreed upon in Oct. 2016, the Revised List shall contain HFCs. Background The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is an international agreement to gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and it was a