European Chemicals Agency: adoption of its updated conflict of interest prevention policy

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has adopted its updated conflict of interest prevention policy, the agency announced on 28/01/2026.

"The revised rules provide guidelines for the procurement of scientific services and clarify the independence requirements in ECHA’s committees and expert groups", the agency said.

The policy applies to the entire ECHA organisation and all of its activities, including :
• ECHA Staff ;
• ECHA service providers/contractors ;
• Member States ;
• ECHA Bodies, expert groups and networks.

For ECHA, "to play a pivotal role in ensuring that chemicals legislation, the decision making processes underlying it, and the scientific basis to be credible amongst all stakeholders, it is essential that conflicts of interest are managed effectively to ensure ECHA’s independence and transparency".

To achieve this, ECHA "has to strike a delicate balance between getting the right expertise to guarantee high quality science-based decision making and at the same time strictly avoiding conflicting interests influencing or seen as influencing the decision-making process".