COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/... amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-r...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 5.5.2025 C(2025) 2566 final COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/... of 5.5.2025 amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds (Text with EEA relevance) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 1. CONTEXT OF THE DELEGATED ACT Article 1 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (‘POPs Regulation’) establishes as the objective of that Regulation to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (‘POPs’) by, among others, prohibiting, phasing out as soon as possible, or restricting the manufacturing, placing on the market and use of substances subject to the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds have been listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/784 (‘PFOA entry’) with specific exemptions. The specific exemption under paragraph 6 allows the use of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds in fire-fighting foam for liquid fuel vapour suppression and liquid fuel fire (Class B fires) already installed in systems, including both mobile and fixed systems, subject to certain conditions. This exemption expires on 4 July 2025. Some authorities and stakeholders have communicated to the Commission that many operators have difficulties to respect this deadline....