REACH SVHC List 2026: 253 Candidate List Substances and Compliance Requirements
REACH SVHC at a Glance
Official source: ECHA Candidate List of substances of very high concern for Authorisation.
Only the Candidate List published by ECHA is the authentic regulatory list. ECHA notes that companies may acquire legal obligations immediately after a substance is added.
What Is a REACH SVHC?
SVHC means Substance of Very High Concern.
Under REACH, substances may be identified as SVHCs because of particularly serious hazards to human health or the environment. They can include substances that are:
- carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction;
- persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT);
- very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); or
- considered to present an equivalent level of concern, including certain endocrine disruptors.
Once a substance has completed the SVHC identification process, it can be added to the REACH Candidate List for Authorisation.
Candidate List inclusion does not automatically mean that the substance is prohibited.
Instead, inclusion creates regulatory obligations and may represent a step toward eventual inclusion in REACH Annex XIV – the Authorisation List.
Enviropass 2026 Project Data
Among the REACH projects included in our January–August 2026 portfolio, approximately 30% required additional supplier follow-up because the available declaration was incomplete, outdated or insufficiently specific.
30% of REACH projects required additional supplier follow-up.
In Enviropass projects reviewed between January and August 2026, approximately 30% required further supplier follow-up because the available REACH declaration was incomplete, outdated, or insufficiently specific.
This illustrates why REACH compliance is best managed as a continuous evidence-review process rather than as a one-time documentation exercise.
View the 2026 Product Environmental Compliance analysis.
Source: Enviropass Expertise Inc., 2026 Product Compliance Project Portfolio, January–August 2026.
Current REACH SVHC List: 253 Entries
As of September 2026, ECHA’s official Candidate List contains 253 entries. Some Candidate List entries cover groups of substances, meaning that the actual number of individual chemicals affected can be greater than 253.
Latest REACH SVHC Additions – February 2026
ECHA added the following two entries on February 4, 2026:
These additions increased the Candidate List from 251 to 253 entries.
Recent Candidate List History
ECHA confirmed the increase to 250 entries in June 2025 and to 251 entries following the addition of DBDPE later in 2025.
This historical progression is important because suppliers’ declarations that reference older counts such as 241, 247, 250 or 251 SVHCs may no longer represent the current Candidate List.
Download the Current REACH SVHC List
Enviropass provides convenient reference versions of the current Candidate List for product environmental compliance assessments.
These documents are practical compliance tools, but companies should always refer to the official ECHA Candidate List as the authoritative regulatory source.
What Does the 0.1% REACH SVHC Threshold Mean?
One of the most important REACH requirements for manufacturers concerns articles containing Candidate List substances above 0.1% weight by weight.
Determining the correct REACH article, substance or mixture classification is essential because the 0.1% threshold must be assessed at the appropriate article level.
The threshold applies to the individual article, not simply to the finished assembled product.
This principle is sometimes described as:
“Once an article, always an article.”
For example, consider an electronic device containing:
- a printed circuit board assembly;
- connectors;
- cables;
- screws;
- labels;
- plastic housings; and
- internal components.
If an individual component that qualifies as an article contains an SVHC above 0.1% w/w, the concentration cannot simply be diluted by calculating it against the total weight of the finished device.
The Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed that the 0.1% threshold applies to constituent articles within complex products.
REACH Article 33: Communication Obligations
If an article supplied in the EU or EEA contains a Candidate List substance above 0.1% w/w, the supplier must provide recipients with sufficient information to allow safe use of the article.
At a minimum, this information must include the name of the Candidate List substance.
Business-to-Business Communication
The information must be communicated to professional or industrial recipients when the article is supplied.
Consumer Requests
Consumers also have the right to ask whether an article contains Candidate List SVHCs above 0.1% w/w.
When the obligation applies, the supplier must respond:
within 45 days and free of charge.
When Is an ECHA Article 7(2) Notification Required?
REACH Article 7(2) creates an additional notification obligation for certain producers and importers of articles.
Notification to ECHA may be required when both of the following conditions are met:
- a Candidate List substance is present in the relevant article above 0.1% w/w; and
- the total quantity of that substance present in the relevant articles exceeds one tonne per producer or importer per year.
When applicable, notification must generally be made within six months of the substance being included in the Candidate List.
Certain exemptions may apply, including situations where:
- exposure to humans and the environment can be excluded during normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, including disposal; or
- the substance has already been registered for that use.
Article 7(2) should therefore be assessed separately from Article 33.
What Is the SCIP Database?
What Information Is Reported to SCIP?
REACH SVHC Does Not Mean “Banned”
This distinction is essential.
The Candidate List is not itself a general prohibition list.
A Candidate List substance may still be legally present in a product.
However, its presence can trigger:
- Article 33 communication;
- Article 7(2) notification;
- SCIP obligations;
- Safety Data Sheet-related obligations for substances and mixtures; and
- future regulatory action.
An SVHC can subsequently be considered for inclusion in REACH Annex XIV, where continued use after a sunset date may require authorisation.
Separately, a substance may also be restricted under REACH Annex XVII.
Candidate List vs. REACH Annex XVII
Companies frequently confuse these two REACH mechanisms.
Candidate List
The Candidate List identifies Substances of Very High Concern and primarily creates information, notification and supply-chain obligations.
Annex XVII
REACH Annex XVII establishes restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market or use of specific substances, mixtures or articles.
A restriction may:
- prohibit a substance in a particular application;
- establish concentration limits;
- impose labeling requirements; or
- permit specific uses while restricting others.
Therefore, a complete REACH product compliance assessment should generally consider both:
Candidate List SVHC requirements + applicable Annex XVII restrictions.
A product that contains no Candidate List SVHC above 0.1% is not automatically REACH compliant if it violates an Annex XVII restriction.
Which Products Can Be Affected by REACH SVHC Requirements?
REACH can affect a very broad range of products and materials, including:
- electrical and electronic equipment;
- machinery;
- medical devices;
- automotive components;
- cables and connectors;
- plastic products;
- rubber products;
- textiles;
- furniture;
- coatings;
- adhesives;
- batteries;
- packaging;
- metal components;
- toys;
- consumer products; and
- industrial equipment.
Candidate List substances can occur in materials such as:
- PVC;
- elastomers;
- adhesives;
- paints and coatings;
- plating and surface treatments;
- solder;
- plastics;
- inks;
- sealants;
- lubricants;
- flame-retardant systems; and
- electronic components.
How to Determine Whether Your Product Contains an SVHC
For complex products, relying on a single generic supplier statement is rarely the most robust compliance strategy.
A practical assessment generally follows several steps.
Step 1 – Build a Complete Bill of Materials
Identify all relevant:
- components;
- parts;
- subassemblies;
- materials;
- coatings;
- adhesives;
- labels;
- cables;
- hardware;
- plastics; and
- custom parts.
The analysis should be performed at the appropriate article level.
Step 2 – Collect Supplier Documentation
Relevant documentation can include:
- REACH declarations;
- SVHC declarations;
- material declarations;
- Full Material Declarations;
- Safety Data Sheets;
- analytical test reports;
- IPC-1752A declarations;
- IEC 62474 declarations; and
- supplier-specific substance disclosures.
Whenever possible, supplier declarations should state which Candidate List version or date they cover.
A declaration saying only:
“REACH compliant”
without identifying the Candidate List version, substance scope or supporting evidence provides limited regulatory assurance.
Step 3 – Compare Against the Current Candidate List
Supplier information should be evaluated against the current 253-entry Candidate List, rather than an outdated list.
This is particularly important when documentation predates a recent Candidate List update.
Step 4 – Perform a Risk Assessment
Missing or weak documentation does not necessarily mean that every component must be laboratory tested.
Instead, prioritize materials based on:
- known SVHC applications;
- material chemistry;
- supplier reliability;
- country of manufacture;
- historical test data;
- previous declarations; and
- regulatory likelihood.
Step 5 – Perform Targeted Testing When Necessary
Laboratory testing can be useful when documentary evidence is unavailable, contradictory or insufficient.
Depending on the suspected substance and material, analytical techniques may include:
- XRF;
- GC-MS;
- LC-MS;
- ICP-MS; and
- other substance-specific methods.
Testing should generally be risk-based and targeted, rather than indiscriminately testing every component for every Candidate List substance.
Is REACH SVHC Laboratory Testing Mandatory?
Not automatically.
REACH establishes compliance obligations, but it does not generally require every manufacturer to conduct blanket laboratory testing of every product for every Candidate List SVHC.
Manufacturers and importers must instead possess sufficient information to determine and demonstrate compliance with their obligations.
A robust technical assessment may therefore combine:
supplier documentation + material knowledge + risk assessment + targeted laboratory testing.
Testing becomes particularly useful when:
- supplier information is missing;
- supplier declarations are outdated;
- documentation is contradictory;
- high-risk materials are present;
- the supply chain cannot identify material composition; or
- independent verification is required by a customer or compliance program.
REACH SVHC Compliance for Electronics
Electrical and electronic products can contain hundreds or thousands of individual components.
Typical areas requiring attention include:
- PCBAs;
- connectors;
- cables;
- plastic housings;
- labels;
- adhesives;
- solder;
- coatings;
- switches;
- relays;
- transformers;
- displays;
- screws and metal hardware;
- rubber feet;
- foams; and
- power supplies.
A declaration covering only the PCBA may therefore not be sufficient to demonstrate REACH compliance for the complete finished product.
The entire product structure should be considered.
REACH SVHC Compliance Process
A practical compliance program can follow this sequence:
1. Determine Product Scope
Identify the products, assemblies and articles placed on the EU market.
2. Collect Supplier Information
Request declarations and material information based on the current Candidate List.
3. Review Documentation
Confirm:
- substance scope;
- Candidate List date;
- article-level applicability;
- supplier identity;
- supporting analytical evidence; and
- any declared SVHC concentrations.
4. Identify Data Gaps
Highlight components with:
- missing information;
- outdated declarations;
- incomplete substance coverage; or
- higher material risk
5. Conduct Risk-Based Testing
Use laboratory testing where documentary evidence cannot sufficiently resolve the risk.
6. Determine Article 33 Obligations
Identify articles containing Candidate List substances above 0.1% w/w.
7. Assess Article 7(2)
Determine whether the annual tonnage and other criteria trigger ECHA notification.
8. Assess SCIP Requirements
Determine whether relevant articles placed on the EU market require SCIP notification.
9. Build and Maintain a Technical File
Enviropass supports manufacturers, importers and suppliers with REACH compliance programs for articles and complex products.
Services can include:
- REACH applicability assessments;
- Candidate List SVHC assessments;
- supplier documentation reviews;
- BOM and component-level assessments;
- supply-chain data collection;
- risk assessments;
- gap analyses;
- targeted laboratory testing;
- Article 33 disclosure support;
- SCIP notification preparation;
- technical documentation;
- REACH Annex XVII assessments; and
- ongoing regulatory monitoring.
How Often Should REACH SVHC Documentation Be Updated?
Companies should review REACH documentation whenever:
- ECHA updates the Candidate List;
- suppliers change;
- product materials change;
- BOMs change;
- manufacturing processes change;
- a new market requirement becomes applicable; or
- existing declarations no longer cover the current list.
Because Candidate List obligations can begin immediately upon inclusion of a substance, monitoring regulatory updates is an important part of maintaining compliance.
REACH SVHC vs. RoHS
REACH and RoHS are separate legal frameworks.
RoHS
EU RoHS restricts specified hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, generally at the homogeneous material level.
REACH
REACH Candidate List obligations can apply across a much broader range of articles and materials and use the 0.1% w/w article-level threshold for key communication obligations.
A product can therefore be:
- RoHS compliant but contain a declarable REACH SVHC;
- REACH SVHC compliant but fail an applicable Annex XVII restriction; or
- subject to both REACH and RoHS requirements.
For electrical and electronic products, both assessments are commonly required.
REACH SVHC vs. POPs
The EU Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation is another separate legal framework.
Some substances of concern can be regulated under multiple regimes.
For example, a substance may be:
- on the REACH Candidate List;
- restricted under REACH Annex XVII;
- restricted under the POPs Regulation; or
- subject to another product-specific requirement.
A complete product environmental compliance assessment should therefore evaluate the regulatory framework as a whole rather than considering REACH SVHC in isolation.
REACH SVHC Frequently Asked Questions
How Enviropass Can Help With REACH SVHC Compliance
Enviropass supports manufacturers, importers, and suppliers with REACH compliance programs for articles and complex products.
Services can include:
- REACH applicability assessments;
- Candidate List SVHC assessments;
- supplier documentation reviews;
- BOM and component-level assessments;
- supply-chain data collection;
- risk assessments;
- gap analyses;
- targeted laboratory testing;
- Article 33 disclosure support;
- SCIP notification preparation;
- technical documentation;
- REACH Annex XVII assessments; and
- ongoing regulatory monitoring.
Standard REACH Compliance Assessment
For companies that already possess strong supplier documentation, Enviropass can review the available evidence against the current Candidate List and applicable REACH requirements.
Comprehensive REACH Assessment
For more complex products or incomplete supply chains, the assessment can combine:
- document collection;
- supplier follow-up;
- technical review;
- risk assessment;
- targeted testing; and
- compliance documentation.
REACH Compliance Training and Support
Enviropass can also support internal environmental compliance teams by developing repeatable processes for:
- supplier auditing;
- SVHC screening;
- documentation review;
- regulatory monitoring; and
- technical-file maintenance.
Keep Your REACH SVHC Assessment Current
REACH Candidate List compliance changes over time.
A product assessed against an older Candidate List may require review when new substances are added, particularly where supplier declarations do not automatically update.
As of August 2026, the current Candidate List contains 253 entries.
Companies selling products into the European Union should therefore confirm that their documentation reflects the current Candidate List and that any applicable Article 33, Article 7(2) and SCIP obligations have been addressed.
Need help evaluating a product or updating an existing REACH technical file?
Contact Enviropass for a free consultation.
Technical Review
Regulatory Sources
This page is based primarily on authoritative European regulatory sources, including:
