REACH Restriction Roadmap

The REACH Restriction Roadmap is ECHA’s multi-annual planning tool that lists substances or substance groups for which restriction actions are planned or under preparation, including the proposed timeline. Published under ECHA’s Integrated Regulatory Strategy, the Roadmap gives industry advance warning of upcoming Annex XVII restrictions, typically 3–5 years before restrictions take effect. Groups currently on the roadmap include PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), microplastics, bisphenol A and analogues, and other substance families.

ECHA Integrated Regulatory Strategy; ECHA Registry of Restriction Intentions; REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Article 69.

The Restriction Roadmap is the most valuable forward-planning tool in REACH compliance. Companies whose substances appear on the roadmap should: assess supply chain exposure; identify and test substitutes; engage with public consultations; and model business impact of proposed restrictions. Proactive substitution before formal restriction avoids the market disruption and compliance costs of last-minute transitions.