Obligations of the CLP regulation pertain to classification, labelling, packaging, notification to the European inventory of substances and notification of mixture to the Belgian Poison Centre.

Some substances are exempted from the obligations of CLP regulations since they are covered by specific legislations. These exemptions are specified in Article 1 of the regulation: CLP regulation shall not apply to substances and mixtures in the following forms:
- radioactive materials,
- chemical products under customs control if they have not been converted,
- non-isolated intermediates,
- chemical products for research and development that have not been put on the market.
- waste as defined in Directive EC 2006/12 and provided that it is not covered under the definition of substances and mixtures as given in Article 2 of the CLP regulations.

CLP regulation shall also not apply to substances and mixtures in the following forms, which are in the finished state, intended for the final user:
- medicines for human and veterinary use,
- cosmetics,
- invasive medical devices or medical devices used in direct contact with the human body,
- some chemical products used as food additives,
- food and feed for animals,

In the following sections you will be able to check what your obligations are as a professional, how to classify a substance or a mixture, what information must appear on the label and the safety data sheet, provisions regarding packaging and the procedure for requesting an alternative chemical name.

Main differences between the old and the new legislation

• The term "preparation" is replaced by the term "mixture" in the GHS.
• The term "dangerous" is replaced by the term "hazardous" in the GHS.
• The "hazard categories" are replaced by the "hazard classes" in the GHS, which in turn contain one or more categories.
• Indications of danger are removed. In the GHS instead, the signal words used are "danger" or "warning".
• The danger symbols are replaced by pictograms in the GHS.
• The risk R phrases and the safety S phrases are replaced by Hazard statements (H) and Precautionary (P)statements.
• Instead of the list of substances harmonised at the European level (appendix I of directive 67/548), there is a list and an inventory:
- the list in section 3.2 of appendix VI of the CLP regulation that covers adaptations to technical progress from 67/548 up to the 31st and that includes some new harmonised entries (CMR, respiratory sensitizers and substances of very high concern)
- and the mandatory inventory of the industry containing voluntary contributions from firms.
You will also find information about this topic as well as a comparative brochure of the old and the new system of classification on the official website of the FPS Employment and Labour

Contact point for professional users:
www.helpdeskdppc.be or ask your question here immediately.