January 15, 2026 by Rhiannon Smith
Following Brexit, the EU chemical regulation (REACH – Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) was mirrored in the UK as UK REACH. The information requirements for UK REACH and the deadlines by when the data need to be submitted are still to be finalised (see our blog on the UK government’s proposed extension of the registration deadlines); nevertheless, the UK government has set out its plans for UK REACH in Commitment 40 of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).
The EIP plans push the UK government to update UK REACH by the end of 2028 to allow quicker and more efficient protection of the environment and to do so in closer alignment with the EU and other trading partners. The EIP Commitment 40 actions the UK government to:
- Align regulation more closely with the UK’s closest trading partners unless there are compelling reasons to diverge, including using the regulatory decisions by other trusted jurisdiction as the starting point for UK regulatory decisions,
- Extend the industry deadlines for submitting transitional registration data under UK REACH,
- Implement a restriction on lead in ammunition across the UK,
- Maintain and update the UK REACH Authorisation List in REACH Annex XIV and Candidate list for SVHC (substances of very high concern), and
- Publish an annual UK REACH work programme to set out priorities for UK REACH.
We will continue to monitor these commitments by the UK government and the impact they have on our clients. wca work with a range of UK companies to ensure they maintain their compliance under UK REACH and also act as the Only Representative for a number of EU based companies to do the same. If you are interested in any assistance which wca can provide on UK REACH, please do not hesitate to contact us.