News Brief
Recently, the European Commission submitted a notification of trade measures to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and published a draft Commission Implementing Decision. The core content of this draft is the proposal to not renew the approval of the active substance cypermethrin for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 (PT8, wood preservatives) in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 (BPR).
Regulatory Background: Approval Status of Cypermethrin under the EU BPR (PT8)
Cypermethrin acts as a broad-spectrum insecticide and was previously approved under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 528/2012) for product-type 8 (PT8), specifically for wood preservation to protect against insect infestation.
Withdrawal of the Renewal Application and Termination of the Approval Procedure
The approval of this substance was originally scheduled to expire on 31 May 2025. Previously, the relevant applicant submitted an application for renewal on 24 November 2023 in accordance with regulations, and the European Commission adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/362 to postpone the expiry date to 30 November 2027 to allow sufficient time for the evaluation.
However, on 21 May 2025, the applicant formally informed the European Commission that it withdrew its application for the renewal of the approval. Under the BPR, since it cannot be established that the substance continues to meet the approval conditions without the applicant’s support, the European Commission has decided to terminate the approval procedure for its use in PT8 and not to renew the approval.
Transitional Arrangements: 180-Day Market Placement Period
In order to allow sufficient time for economic operators to adapt, Article 2 of the draft provides that “treated articles” treated with or intentionally incorporating cypermethrin for wood preservation may still be placed on the market within 180 days after the entry into force of this Decision. After this 180-day transition period, any wood and related products treated with cypermethrin for preservation purposes will be prohibited from circulation on the EU market.
Key Regulatory Timelines
The notification is currently open for comments (deadline: March 30, 2026).
The Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Critical deadline: Entry into force date + 180 days. Enterprises must complete customs clearance and sales of relevant products before this date.
Recommended Actions for Relevant Businesses
Given that this draft Decision stems from the applicant’s voluntary withdrawal of the application, the market exit of cypermethrin for PT8 use in the EU is essentially certain. Relevant enterprises are advised to take the following measures:
Immediately screen product ingredients: Verify the preservation treatment processes of wood products exported to the EU to confirm whether biocidal products containing cypermethrin are used.
Initiate substitution plans: If use is confirmed, immediately start sourcing alternative compliant preservatives (check the list of approved PT8 active substances on the ECHA official website).
Monitor key timelines.
For more information and assistance on EU Biocidal Products Regulation, please feel free to contact us at customer@reach24h.com.
