REACH Substances of Very High Concern
SVHC Testing: Substances of Very High Concern under REACH
Under Article 57 of the REACH Regulation, substances with the following properties may be identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC):
- Carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR, Category 1A or 1B)
- Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT)
- Very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB)
- Substances giving rise to an equivalent level of concern for human health or the environment, such as endocrine disruptors
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) first published the Candidate List of SVHCs in October 2008. The list is generally updated twice a year and reached 253 entries with the February 2026 update; as some entries cover groups of substances, the number of substances concerned is higher. Substances on the Candidate List may later be included in the Authorisation List (REACH Annex XIV). Since new obligations may arise with each update, your product portfolio should be rechecked after every Candidate List update.
The current Candidate List is available on ECHA’s official website.
How to Comply with REACH SVHC Obligations
First, you need to identify whether your products contain any substance on the Candidate List. This can be done using information from your suppliers and, where necessary, SVHC testing in a laboratory. Once the presence and concentration of SVHCs are known, the following obligations should be assessed. They apply both to articles produced in the EU and to articles imported into the EU:
Notification to ECHA (Article 7(2)): If a Candidate List substance is present in an article above 0.1% weight by weight and the total amount exceeds 1 tonne per year per producer or importer, a notification must be submitted to ECHA.
Communication duty (Article 33): If your article contains a Candidate List substance above 0.1% weight by weight, you must provide recipients with at least the name of the substance and the information needed for safe use, and provide this information to consumers free of charge within 45 days of a request.
SCIP notification: Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies placing articles on the EU market that contain a Candidate List substance above 0.1% weight by weight have had to notify ECHA’s SCIP database since 5 January 2021.
Authorisation and restriction: Inclusion in the Candidate List does not in itself mean a ban. However, once a substance is included in REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation List), it may only be used in the EU after the sunset date if an authorisation has been granted. Restrictions under REACH Annex XVII must also be followed. For more information, see our REACH & CLP services.
Which Products Need SVHC Testing?
All producers, importers and suppliers placing articles on the EU market must know whether their products contain Candidate List substances above the 0.1% threshold. Textile and leather products, footwear, plastic and rubber parts, electrical and electronic equipment, toys, packaging and furniture are among the product groups most likely to contain SVHCs.
The 0.1% threshold applies to each component article separately. The SVHC testing plan should therefore cover all components of the product and be re-evaluated whenever the Candidate List is updated.
Price: Please request a quote, stating the number of items.
Our SVHC Compliance Solutions
SVHC Testing and Assessment Report: We arrange SVHC testing in accredited laboratories to determine the presence and concentration of SVHCs and restricted substances in your products, and we prepare SVHC assessment reports based on the results.
Guidance on Safe Use and SDS: For articles containing an SVHC above 0.1% weight by weight, we prepare guidance on safe use and provide Safety Data Sheets where required, which you can share with your customers on request.
Application for Authorisation: If you need to use a substance listed in REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation List) in the EU, we support you in the authorisation application to ECHA.