Last updated : August 12, 2026 7:55 am
The encouraging shift is that companies increasingly treat compliance not as a bottleneck but as a market enabler
How has the global compliance landscape evolved over the past decade and what major trends are shaping the industry?
EU REACH, introduced in 2008 with its phased registration deadlines, was the turning point. It required manufacturers and importers — within the EU and outside it — to generate substantial scientific data and file technical dossiers to obtain a registration number from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), with the clear objective of protecting human health and the environment from harmful substances.
In the years that followed, country after country built its own framework, either modelled on REACH or adapted to local priorities. Some updated existing chemical inventories, others created an inventory for the first time, and a few — India among them — are still in the process. Today more than 25 jurisdictions maintain comprehensive chemical management frameworks, including EU REACH and CLP, UK REACH, UA REACH, the EAEU regulations, US TSCA and EPA HazCom, Canada’s CEPA/CMP, Mexico, Brazil, China’s MEE Order 12, Korea’s K-REACH, Japan’s CSCL/ISHL, India’s CMSR, ASEAN GHS and AJCSD, Australia’s AICIS, South Africa’s HCA and the GCC regulations.
This shift has created two main challenges. First, businesses must adopt safer, sustainable alternatives to high-risk chemicals. Second, they must compile intensive physical, chemical, and ecotoxicological data to verify chemical safety. Managing these requirements demands substantial financial resources. Large corporations managed early expenses well, but smaller enterprises delayed action between 2008 and 2010. Since 2010, the volume of REACH registrants has grown steadily, with continuous compliance support from GPC.
With increasing regulatory complexity across regions such as the EU, UK, Korea, Turkey, India and China, how are companies adapting their compliance strategies to remain globally competitive?
Chemical regulations are complex and frequently updated, making compliance a moving target. Despite this, companies now treat compliance as a market enabler. Because buyers seek out and pay premiums for compliant products, businesses are proudly showcasing their REACH status across the EU, UK, and Turkey European Commission. Before entering into supply relationships, companies now ask one another whether a substance is REACH-compliant and discuss openly the investment required to keep it so.
We also see procurement, business development and product-stewardship teams studying ECHA’s database themselves to see how many registrants already exist for a given substance. Where there is no Lead Registrant, some are stepping into that role deliberately — a healthy sign, because it signals an intent to lead the market rather than follow it.
Companies are building regulatory capability internally too: where the expertise does not exist, they are sponsoring staff through certified courses such as those offered by the Regulatory Representatives & Managers Association (RRMA), which has already trained a good number of industry professionals who now help management shape strategic decisions on market expansion.
Which emerging regulations do you believe will have the biggest impact on the global chemical industry over the next five years?
India is among the world’s largest chemical producers and ranks in Asia’s top three, with exports reaching some 170+ countries, so what happens in the major regulated markets matters a great deal here. With Atmanirbhar Bharat encouraging domestic manufacturing and reduced imports — and with Chemexcil, our long-standing partner under a signed MoU, promoting exports — Indian industry is increasingly aware that compliance is mandatory in essentially every regulated destination.
Over the next five years, several deadlines deserve particularly close attention:
Turkey (KKDIK): Exporters above 1,000 tonnes per annum face a December 2026 registration deadline. Substances classified as Aquatic Chronic/Acute 1 or CMR Category 1A/1B also fall under the December 2026 deadline even below that volume, ahead of the later 2028 and 2030 tonnage bands. Separately, all pre-registered or late-pre-registered substances must complete a Provisional Registration by 30 September 2026; those who miss it cannot export beyond that date, although the pre-registration number remains valid for Substance Information Exchange Forum (SIEF) purposes only.
South Korea (K-REACH): Priority Existing Chemical (PEC) deadline has passed, so a PEC substance must be registered before it can be exported. The phase-in deadlines now run to December 2027 for the 10–100 t/a band and December 2030 for the 1–10 t/a band.
Ukraine (UA REACH): Pre-registration opened on 26 January 2026 and closes on 26 January 2027.
United Kingdom (UK REACH): Registration via the New Registration of Existing Substances (NRES) route currently runs to 27 October 2026 for 1,000-plus tonnes, 27 October 2028 for 100–1,000 t/a and October 2030 for 1–100 t/a, with proposed extensions to October 2029, 2030 and 2031 respectively.
Alongside registration itself, the EU developments warrant continuous monitoring — the proposed PFAS restriction, CBAM, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the Drinking Water Directive, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and the re-evaluation of already-registered substances. India’s own CMSR sits at the centre of this picture given the country’s role as a manufacturing and export hub.
India is moving towards stricter chemical management regulations under the proposed Chemical (Management and Safety) Rules (CMSR). How prepared is the Indian chemical industry for this transition?
Since the fifth draft of the Indian Chemical Management and Safety Rules (CMSR) was circulated, GPC has actively advised policymakers, the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), and Chemexcil. We have submitted detailed inputs to ensure the notification and registration processes are highly practical and workable for the industry.
Our involvement in shaping an Indian framework goes back to 2010, and in 2019, when the Ministry of Commerce constituted the technical review committee, the first draft was prepared and presented by GPC — alongside CII, we were the only non-governmental body associated with that task.
Industry today understands where CMSR stands and that several existing regulations will be folded into it once it takes effect. The companies that used the intervening time well have already assembled the physico-chemical data needed at the notification stage, which for most substances is the principal requirement. The exception is substances on Priority List I, which require registration and considerably more analytical data; here the timeline in the fifth draft is, in our view, inadequate, and we have asked for it to be relaxed and extended — not least because Indian laboratories are not yet fully equipped to support that volume of testing.
Overall, it is the MSME segment that will need more time. Within it, exporters already serving regulated overseas markets understand the requirements; the real gap is ownership of the analytical data they will need if their substance falls on the priority list.
Many MSME chemical manufacturers in India still have limited awareness of global compliance requirements such as EU REACH and K-REACH. What steps are needed to improve regulatory readiness among smaller companies?
Indian policymakers have consistently tried to cushion and sensitise the MSME sector whenever a new chemical regulation is introduced. When EU REACH came into force in 2008, the authorities approached GPC — then known as Sustainability Support Service (SSS) — and we ran government-funded, hands-on awareness programmes across the country’s industrial belts.
With CHEMEXCIL, for whom we serve as chemical regulatory knowledge partner, and with RRMA, we have since conducted a series of webinars and physical workshops to build awareness so that MSMEs with ambitions in regulated markets can act in good time. We have also supported the training and awareness around the newly launched ChemIndia Portal, where DCPC, ICC, and Chemexcil have run both physical and virtual sessions.
Data management, toxicology assessments and product registrations require significant technical expertise. What capabilities should Indian chemical companies build internally to stay globally compliant?
The right technical data — physico-chemical, toxicological and eco-toxicological — is the foundation of a sound dossier and a successful registration. Building it requires qualified expertise, instrumentation, OECD-accredited laboratories and time, since some studies are long-term assessments of aquatic and terrestrial impact.
A major reason registration is seen as expensive is the Letter of Access (LoA) cost — the fee to join an existing registration as a member and use its data. For most substances already registered in the EU, the underlying toxicology and eco-toxicology studies were conducted in European or other overseas OECD laboratories at very high cost. Where no Lead Registrant exists, Indian manufacturers are often reluctant to take that role, uncertain where to generate the data and at what price.
The answer is more OECD-GLP-accredited laboratories in India. Studies run in Indian labs would cost considerably less than their overseas equivalents, allowing manufacturers to build their own data banks — data that will serve them both in export markets and under CMSR once it is in force. Shared, centralised laboratory facilities within industrial estates would let smaller members test samples faster and more affordably than building individual labs, and grants to support quality lab infrastructure are always welcome. Alongside the instruments, India needs professionals who can both operate them and interpret the results, because a shortage of reliable data too often leads to incorrect classification — which in turn creates problems in supply chain and logistics.
GPC has highlighted growing demand for Only Representative (OR) services and global registrations. Are multinational companies now approaching compliance more strategically rather than viewing it merely as a legal requirement?
For over 18 years, GPC has been a trusted regulatory partner for Indian chemical manufacturers. From securing pre-registrations and EU REACH registrations, GPC supports these clients as they expand globally, acting as their Only Representative (OR) where local entities are required. This guidance helps companies clearly distinguish between mandatory regulations and voluntary compliance.
Mandatory chemical regulations like EU REACH act as a strict gatekeeper to global markets; without formal compliance, market access is denied. Beyond these legal frameworks, a second, voluntary layer of compliance is enforced by multinational brands. These companies set their own product specifications, prioritizing eco-friendly and low-hazard chemistry.
These are the outcome of R&D and of a desire for market edge, so suppliers must meet the relevant voluntary standards. This is where compliance becomes genuinely strategic rather than purely legal, and it is a large part of why demand for OR services and coordinated global registrations keeps growing.
How is GPC helping companies integrate sustainability goals with regulatory compliance requirements?
Sustainability, ESG, and the circular economy share a unified core mission: conserving resources, maximizing material reuse, and applying sustainable design to tackle social, economic, health, and environmental challenges together. Clean-energy technologies like wind turbines, fuel cells, solar PV, and EV batteries rely on critical materials, including PFAS. When these items re-enter the market through circular economy channels (reuse, recycling, or refurbishment), they must still meet all strict regulatory requirements, such as SVHC reporting, substance registration, and RoHS declarations.
GPC offers comprehensive sustainability services, including educational webinars to help stakeholders vet circular-economy raw materials, end-to-end ISCC PLUS certification support, and detailed life-cycle assessments (LCA) that calculate cradle-to-grave emissions for specific products.
Which sectors are currently witnessing the fastest growth in regulatory consulting demand?
Global demand for regulatory compliance consulting is surging, particularly in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. As REACH-style regulations expand worldwide, companies desperately need experienced consultants with a genuine global presence, a rare specialty where GPC serves as India's leader.
In agrochemicals, the high cost of registering active ingredients means only a few market leaders pursue it. However, the formulation sector is growing rapidly, driving a sharp increase in demand for experts who can help place products across multiple international markets. Cosmetics has historically seen less demand, though that is now beginning to rise.
What differentiates the company from other global regulatory consulting firms in such a competitive market?
Since 2008, GPC has worked on a straightforward principle: educate, create awareness, stay close to our clients, keep them updated on developments worldwide, and advise them strategically before they place substances in new markets. We also make a point of being present alongside our clients at major exhibitions, locally and globally, whenever we can. That consistency — combined with offering consulting, only representative services, training, regulatory intelligence and digital tools under one roof — is what sets GPC apart.
How do geopolitical developments, trade barriers, and changing environmental policies affect global regulatory compliance requirements for chemical manufacturers?
Global chemical compliance has evolved far beyond basic MSDS/SDS and certificates of analysis. Today, exporters face a complex, fragmented web of international regulations to keep products on the market.
As countries worldwide enact unique chemical inventories and environmental mandates, manufacturers face an unprecedented surge in mandatory compliance to maintain market access. From the EU's expanding Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to strict global PFAS phase-outs and regional REACH updates, navigating this complex, localized regulatory web is now critical.
Looking ahead, what are GPC’s strategic priorities regarding geographic expansion, service diversification, and strengthening its global compliance ecosystem?
We grow alongside our clients, following them into new markets and handling every compliance need under one roof. Their markets are our priority. We are steadily expanding our industry footprint. In the agrochemical sector, for example, we assist stakeholders navigating complex global regulations through Auxilife Scientific Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of GPC. Our goal is to build a unified, connected global compliance ecosystem—uniting consulting, training, authorized representation, regulatory intelligence, and platforms like GPC Gateway—so clients can navigate increasingly complex global markets with proactive and strategic ease.