New development
UK publishes final references for PPE standards
United Kingdom · personal protective equipment · final standards notice
The final UK notice 0142/26 on standards for personal protective equipment was published on 15 October. It updates the references to eye and face protection and includes EN ISO 374-6:2025 for protective gloves for hairdressers and EN ISO 24232:2025 for rain clothing. The withdrawal of references to EN 12941:1998 and EN 12942:1998, as amended, has been postponed until 8 October 2027. This is now a final stage, not the previous proposal. Manufacturers, exporters, laboratories and assessment bodies must compare technical dossiers, test methods and grounds for presumption of conformity with the new tables. The notice applies to England, Scotland and Wales; it does not automatically amend the EU regime.
EU's postponed phytosanitary requirements begin
EU · plants, plant products and imports · entry into force
The explicitly deferred parts of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/826, published on 15 April, will apply from 15 October. They update the quarantine lists, the special conditions for the introduction of certain plants and products and the related certificates. Among those affected are ginger and turmeric plants and rhizomes, for which alternative grounds for proving the absence of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum are provided. Under the production conditions set out in the act, official inspections, molecular testing of a representative sample and traceability are required. Importers, nurseries, laboratories and control bodies must verify the specific product, origin and applicable alternative. Not all amendments to the regulation start today; some of them have already been applicable since May.
EUDR: the distribution of declarations to competent authorities is changing
EU · traceability and deforestation-free chains · start of implementation of a systematic rule
A specific change to the EUDR information system has been implemented since 15 October: due diligence declarations are allocated to the competent authorities of the Member State where the operator is established. For a non-EU operator, the allocation follows the Member State to which it is linked through its unique identifier in the system. The rule is in Article 1(2)(c) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1565, published on 14 July. This is a technical-administrative stage, not a general start of all EUDR obligations. Operators and authorised representatives should check the registration data, identifiers and internal responsibilities to avoid misdirection of declarations and difficulties in subsequent controls.
EU clarifies import permits for fishery products
EU · food and official controls · adopted regulation
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2228, published on 15 October, restructures the list of imports of fishery products from third countries. The new columns distinguish wild catch from aquaculture, and in aquaculture, fish and products thereof from crustaceans. The act also changes specific authorised scopes according to the guarantees and control plans provided; for example, Canadian aquaculture is limited to fish and products thereof. The regulation enters into force on 4 November. Importers, processors and food safety teams must check the country-product-production method combination in the supplier's approval and accompanying documents. The inclusion of a country on the list does not imply authorisation for every product category.
EPA adopts new rules for certain uses of chemicals
USA · chemicals and market access · TSCA final rule
On October 15, EPA published final rules for significant new uses of certain chemicals—SNUR (26-1), document 2026-21051. They take effect on December 14 and require notification at least 90 days before manufacturing, including importation, or processing for a use identified in the relevant entry as a significant new use. Action cannot begin simply by the expiration of this deadline: the required review and appropriate EPA decision are required. U.S. exporters, U.S. importers, and chemical companies must verify the identity of substances, uses, and TSCA compliance statements. This is not a blanket ban on all chemicals and does not automatically impose new testing for every shipment.
Upcoming deadlines
One week until mandatory use of APS under ISCC CORSIA
International scope · sustainable aviation fuels and certification · scheme requirement — T–7
On 22 October 2026, the ability to use the previous offline procedures for ISCC CORSIA audits will end; from that date, all audits under the scheme must use the Audit Procedure System (APS). This is a reminder seven days before the deadline announced in the ISCC system update of 22 September, and not a new requirement from today. Trained auditors, certification bodies and operators in the sustainable aviation fuel supply chains are affected. They should check access, applicable audit procedures and readiness to store evidence in the system. The announced APS 6.1 update is not in itself taken as evidence that a specific installation or audit profile has already been updated.
FCC: seven days for technical opinions on radio frequency exposure
USA · radio equipment and testing · consulting — T–7
The FCC is accepting comments on ET Docket No. 13-84 through October 22 on certain RF exposure issues remanded for further consideration by a federal court. DA 26-997 was issued on September 17 and published in the Federal Register on September 22; today, the T–7 threshold has been reached. Among the issues being addressed are procedures for testing portable electronic devices. The consultation does not repeal existing rules or establish new limits. Manufacturers and testing laboratories for the U.S. market may consider whether they have relevant measurement data and methodological arguments. The comments should remain within the scope of the FCC’s mandate and not present all RF safety issues as an open regulatory review.
THOR-50M: last week for comments on the test configuration
USA · automotive safety and laboratories · project — consultation T–7
The comment period for NHTSA’s draft supplement for the THOR-50M test dummy is due on October 22. Document 2026-19370, published on September 22, addresses an additional spine module configuration, an alternative facepiece, and an upper arm strength modification. The topic is a test facility specification under 49 CFR Part 572, not a vehicle-specific authorization. Frontal impact testing laboratories, manufacturers, and measurement system suppliers should compare the design configurations with the equipment used and available repeatability data. The reminder is at T–7. The procedure remains a draft and does not, in itself, require immediate replacement of dummies or changes to existing test programs.
Published by MG Global in partnership with ERPI.
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