{"id":21791,"date":"2026-09-29T08:10:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T08:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pfi-germany.de\/?p=21791"},"modified":"2026-09-30T10:08:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T10:08:11","slug":"pfas-empco-ppwr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pfi-germany.de\/en\/pfas-empco-ppwr\/","title":{"rendered":"Latest regulatory developments: What businesses should be keeping an eye on right now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Regulatory developments in the second half of 2026<\/strong> are currently a focus for numerous companies in the footwear, leather, textile, plastics and packaging industries. New European and national regulations range from stricter requirements for environmental advertising and additional restrictions on harmful substances to expanded regulations on packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Testing and Research Institute Pirmasens e.V. (PFI) helps companies to identify regulatory requirements at an early stage, assess them reliably and implement them safely through independent testing and certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New requirements for environmental advertising and sustainability labels<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The so-called EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024\/825 significantly tightens the requirements for environmental claims and sustainability labels. The new provisions will apply from 27 September 2026<\/strong>. In Germany, implementation will take place through amendments to the Unfair Competition Act (UWG). The aim of the regulation is to better protect consumers from misleading environmental and sustainability claims. In future, companies must check particularly carefully whether the claims and sustainability labels they use comply with the legal requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the regulations are directly aimed at communications with consumers, businesses should take into account the implications for their overall marketing communications. Statements originally intended solely for the B2B sector could be passed on along the supply chain and and thus later appear in consumer communications. The PFI marks of approval and the underlying certification procedures have already been brought into line with the requirements of the EmpCo Directive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

New POP restrictions on PFAS and chlorinated paraffins<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The European Commission has also adopted new rules to include further groups of substances in the Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Regulation).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extended restrictions on long-chain PFAS<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In future, the existing restrictions on long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (C9\u2013C14-PFCAs) are to be extended to cover further PFAS compounds up to and including C9-C21. The following limit values are planned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n