Gibraltar Issues New Legislation for Chemicals Management

SafeGuardSAutomotive, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Electrical & Electronics, Hardgoods, Personal and Protective Equipment, Softlines, Toys and Juvenile ProductsSeptember 01, 2026

SG 122/26

Gibraltar introduces chemicals legislation aligned with EU REACH and CLP requirements for substances and products.

On July 13, 2026, Gibraltar published the Chemicals Regulations 2026 (LN. 2026/183, ‘the Regulation’), creating a framework for the management of chemical substances, whether supplied on their own, in mixtures or in articles. This Regulation was made under the Treaty on Gibraltar and the European Union Act 2026 (Act No 2026-11).

The Chemicals Regulations 2026 incorporate provisions from two key pieces of EU legislation into Gibraltar’s domestic law:

Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 ‘Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals’ (REACH, current consolidated version to June 22, 2026, for reference)

Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 ‘Classification, Labeling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (CLP Regulation, current consolidated version to July 1, 2026, for reference)

What does this regulation require?

Key provisions in the new law are summarized in Table 1.

Section to Chemicals Regulations 2026	Highlights
Part 2 ‘Restriction of substances’	Establishes restrictions equivalent to Annex XVII of REACH (Restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles) Implements the duty to communicate information on substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in articles (Article 33 of REACH) by requiring suppliers of an article containing a Candidate List SVHC in a concentration of more than 0.1% to provide information to the recipient of the article to allow the safe use of the article and, upon consumer request, to supply this information within 45 days Transposes the obligation to notify substances in articles under Article 7(2) of REACH by requiring producers and importers of articles to notify the competent authority when both of the following conditions are met: The Candidate List SVHC is present at more than 0.1% in those articles, and The Candidate List SVHC is present in those articles in quantities totaling more than one tonne per producer or importer per year
Part 3 ‘Authorization’	Introduces provisions equivalent to Title VII (Authorization) and Annex XIV (List of substances subject to authorization) of REACH by prohibiting the placing on the market or use of SVHCs subject to authorization, unless an authorization has been granted by the European Commission (EC). Specifies that granted EU authorizations are applied in Gibraltar subject to the same conditions as those imposed by the EC
Part 4 ‘Classification, labeling and packaging’	Requires suppliers to classify substances and mixtures in accordance with the CLP Regulation Specifies labels for substances and mixtures to be in English Sets out labeling and packaging requirements for substances and mixtures, including child-resistant fastenings and tactile warnings Requires suppliers placing a hazardous substance on the market to notify the competent authority within one month Requires importers and downstream users of hazardous mixtures due to health or physical effects to submit specified information to the competent authority for emergency health response purposes
Part 5 ‘Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)’	Mandates suppliers of substances or mixtures to provide an SDS in the specified format and the required content. The SDS must be updated, dated and marked with the revision number when new information on hazards or risk management measures becomes available, and must be supplied to recipients of the substance or mixture who received it within the preceding 12 months
Part 6 ‘Obligations on importers and downstream users’	Imposes record-keeping requirements for at least 10 years on suppliers, importers and downstream users
Part 7 ‘Competent authority and enforcement’	Directs the government to designate a competent authority to, inter alia, appoint inspectors within two months of the commencement of the Regulation
Part 8 ‘Offences and Penalties’	Establishes offences and penalties, including fines and imprisonment
Part 9 ‘Miscellaneous’	Requires recognition of EU decisions and determinations relating to: The ECHA Candidate List of SVHCs for Authorization Restrictions in Annex XVII of REACH for the purposes of Part 2 and Schedule 1 SVHCs listed in Annex XIV of REACH (Authorization list) for Part 3 Harmonized classifications in Part 3 of Annex VI to the CLP Regulation for Part 4 and Schedule 3 Empowers the competent authority to maintain a publicly accessible register of the substances, restrictions, authorizations and classifications recognized in the point above. Identifies Schedule 1 (Restricted substances) as the substances and restrictions set out in Annex XVII of REACH Identifies Schedule 2 (SVHCs) as the ECHA Candidate List SVHCs Identifies Schedule 3 (Harmonized classification and labeling) as the harmonized classifications set out in Part 3 to Annex VI of the CLP Regulation

Table 1

Who is impacted?

The Chemicals Regulations 2026 affect stakeholders across the consumer products supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, retailers and other intermediaries operating in Gibraltar

When does it apply?

The Regulation became effective on July 15, 2026.

Our global network of laboratories and highly trained specialists offers a comprehensive suite of services to help you comply with REACH, from initial registration to consulting, testing, auditing and verification solutions that support ongoing compliance. we can help you achieve full compliance on safety data sheets, classification and labeling. Contact us to learn more, or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

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