SVHC

Regulatory

Substance of Very High Concern under REACH — requires authorisation for use in EU.

Sources

1. European Commission, DG GROW — REACH: authorisation single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu accessed 23 September 2026

The Commission states both the mechanism and its purpose in one sentence: “Title VII of REACH establishes an authorisation requirement to ensure that the risks from substances of very high concern (SVHC) are properly controlled and that those substances are progressively replaced by suitable alternative substances or technologies.” Substitution, not merely control, is the stated object. The machinery runs in stages: uses of SVHC “included in Annex XIV of REACH are subject to that authorisation requirement”, applications for specific uses go to ECHA for assessment and then to the Commission, which grants or refuses. The hard case is spelled out — “where risks cannot be adequately controlled, the use of those substances may only be authorised where there is an overall benefit for society and there are no suitable alternatives.” Note the distinction between the Candidate List and Annex XIV: being a candidate triggers information duties, being in Annex XIV triggers the authorisation requirement.

What this source settles. Where the text above quotes a regulation or a statute, that instrument governs and its own later amendments prevail over any summary. Where it quotes an institution’s explanatory page or a standard-setter, it is authoritative for how the body understands its own regime and for the figures the body itself publishes — and not for whether the regime works. Read the instrument for obligations, and look beyond the issuer for evaluation.

Related terms

• BIS Standards
• CBAM
• CDSCO
• CE Marking
• Certificate of Suitability
• CSRD

From the AJG lexicon archive (July 2026).