CBA welcomes pragmatic post-Brexit biocide…

The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has welcomed the announcement that biocides are to be included within renewed EU-UK negotiations, calling it an important and practical step towards cutting red tape and restoring clarity for businesses.

Elaine McGavin, Operations Director at the CBA, explains: “Since the UK’s departure from the EU, companies have had to navigate a separate UK biocides regime alongside the EU system established under the Biocidal Products Regulation. This has created a dual regulatory system, increasing costs and administrative burdens for businesses trading across both markets.

“At the same time, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which leads on UK biocide regulation, has been managing a significant inherited workload. This has contributed to delays in application processing, uncertainty around product approvals, and challenges in meeting deadlines.”

Following the May 2025 EU-UK summit – where closer cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) products was agreed – biocides have now been formally brought into the scope of negotiations. The agreement, which is due to take effect mid-2027, would enable dynamic alignment between the UK and EU biocides regimes. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have launched a Call for Information to understand what guidance and support businesses need to prepare for the changes.

“This is a very welcome development and signals a practical reset in how the UK and EU cooperate on essential regulatory frameworks. For too long, businesses have been dealing with duplication, higher costs and avoidable uncertainty. Bringing biocides into these negotiations recognises the need for a more workable system, which will help reduce delays and support innovation without compromising on safety. It is a pragmatic and constructive step that industry has long been calling for,” McGavin said.

Tim Doggett, CEO of the CBA, added: “While this is a positive step forward, the reality is that much more still needs to be done. For several years, businesses have been operating within a fragmented, confusing and disjointed framework that has created unnecessary duplication, rising compliance costs and a persistent lack of clarity. That situation is simply not sustainable for UK businesses and is certainly not conducive to growth.

“This announcement is therefore welcome, but it must now lead to meaningful progress across the wider chemical supply chain. The inertia within government that has slowed regulatory development in recent years must be broken. Industry needs clear timelines and a regulatory framework that works efficiently in practice. Businesses have shown patience and resilience, but what they now need is pace, clarity and delivery.”