The European Chemicals Agency is moving beyond its traditional focus on REACH, CLP and biocides as the EU assigns it new responsibilities across drinking water, toy safety and chemicals data management. This shift forms part of the “One Substance, One Assessment” approach, intended to reduce duplication, improve cooperation between EU bodies and allow information collected under one law to support decisions under another. The legislative package entered into force in January 2026.

Under the Drinking Water Directive, Directive (EU) 2020/2184, ECHA supports the assessment and management of substances used in materials that come into contact with drinking water, including work connected with European positive lists. The new Toy Safety Regulation also gives ECHA responsibility for assessing chemical safety questions, examining derogation requests for prohibited substances and preparing scientific recommendations through its committees. The Regulation entered into force on 1 January 2026.

A central part of the expanded mandate is the common EU chemicals data platform. Managed by ECHA, it will bring together regulatory, monitoring, hazard, use, exposure and sustainability information and make the data more findable, accessible and reusable.

For industry, the change means that information submitted under separate regulatory regimes will become easier for authorities to compare. Inconsistencies in substance identity, classifications, uses or exposure data may therefore become more visible. Companies should strengthen data governance, align submissions across business units and verify that information supplied under different EU laws remains complete and consistent.