The EU submitted to the WTO G/TBT/N/EU/372 on April 21, proposing to amend the EU REACH Regulation Annex XVII, it would restrict the placing on the market of thermal paper containing bisphenol A in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.02% by weight.

Thermal paper is composed of a base paper coated with at least one chemical layer which may contain BPA. The coating changes colour when exposed to heat, allowing the printed characters to appear.

On 6 May 2014, France submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (‘the Agency’) adossier pursuant to Article 69(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (‘the AnnexXV dossier’2 ), in order to initiate the restriction procedure set out in Articles 69 to 73 of that Regulation. The Annex XV dossier indicated a risk for workers (primarily cashiers) and consumers exposed to bisphenol A (BPA) by handling thermal paper receipts and proposed a restriction on the placing on the market of BPA in thermal paper in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.02% by weight.

On 29 January 2016, the Agency submitted the opinions of RAC and SEAC4 to the Commission. Based on those opinions, the Commission concluded that there is an unacceptable risk to the health of workers who handle point of sale receipts made of thermal paper containing BPA in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.02% by weight.

Taking into account all above considerations, Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly.

In Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, the following new entry will beadded: 

Proposed date of adoption: the late half year of 2016.

Proposed date of entry into force: 20 days from publication in the Official Hournal of the EU (the restriction will begin to apply three years after the date of enter into force).