Date: 2023-06-06Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1097 of 5 June 2023 not approving cyanamide as an existing active substance for use in biocidal products of product-types 3 and 18 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
This Commission Implementing Decision EU 2023/1097, dated 5 June 2023, decrees that cyanamide is not approved as an existing active substance for use in biocidal products of product types 3 and 18, according to Regulation EU No 528/2012. The decision follows an evaluation process and is based on the determination that a safe threshold regarding the endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide could not be established. The decision enters into force twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Subject:** Disapproval of cyanamide as an active substance.
* **Active Substance Details:**
* Cyanamide (EC No: 206-992-3; CAS No: 420-04-2)
* **Product Types Affected:**
* Type 3: Veterinary hygiene biocidal products.
* Type 18: Insecticides, acaricides, and products to control other arthropods.
* **Basis for Decision:**
* The Biocidal Products Committee's opinions of 30 November 2021, stated it was not possible to determine a safe threshold regarding the endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide.
* It was not demonstrated that the representative biocidal product containing cyanamide would not have unacceptable effects on human health and the environment.
* The biocidal products containing cyanamide do not meet the criteria laid down in Article 5(1), points (b)(iii) and (iv), read in conjunction with Article 10(1) of Directive 98/8/EC.
* **Effective Date:** The decision comes into force twenty days following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Impact Analysis:
* **Biocidal Product Manufacturers:**
* *Impact:* Manufacturers of biocidal products containing cyanamide for product types 3 and 18 will be unable to use cyanamide as an active substance.
* *Action Required:* Reformulate products to exclude cyanamide or discontinue the production of affected products.
* **Professional Users of Biocidal Products:**
* *Impact:* Professional users of biocidal products of product types 3 and 18 will no longer have access to products containing cyanamide.
* *Action Required:* Find alternative biocidal products that do not contain cyanamide.
* **Member States and Evaluating Competent Authorities:**
* *Impact:* Must implement and enforce the decision, ensuring that cyanamide is not approved for use in biocidal products of product types 3 and 18 within their jurisdiction.
* *Action Required:* Update relevant regulations and guidelines to reflect the decision.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Regulation EU No 528/2012: A regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products (also known as the Biocidal Products Regulation or BPR).
Cyanamide: An active substance evaluated for use in biocidal products of product type 3 and 18, and the subject of this implementing decision.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): An agency of the European Union which implements EU legislation on chemicals.
Biocidal Products Committee: A committee responsible for preparing the opinion of the Agency (ECHA) regarding applications for approval of active substances.
Germany: The rapporteur Member State that submitted the assessment report on cyanamide to the European Commission.
Commission Delegated Regulation EU 2017/2100: A regulation setting out scientific criteria for the determination of endocrine-disrupting properties pursuant to Regulation EU No 528/2012.
6.6.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 146/27
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2023/1097
of 5 June 2023
not approving cyanamide as an existing active substance for use in biocidal products of product-
types 3 and 18 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of
the Council
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012concerning
the making available on the market and use of biocidal products(1), and in particular Article 89(1), third subparagraph,
thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1062/2014(2) establishes a list of existing active substances to be
evaluated for their possible approval for use in biocidal products. That list includes cyanamide (EC No: 206-992-3;
CAS No: 420-04-2).
(2) Cyanamide has been evaluated for use in biocidal products of product-type 3, veterinary hygiene biocidal products,
and product-type 18, insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods, as described in Annex V to
Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(3), which correspond respectively to product-
types 3 and 18 as described in Annex V to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012.
(3) Germany was designated as the rapporteur Member State and its evaluating competent authority submitted the
assessment report together with its conclusions to the Commission on 30 July 2013. After the submission of the
assessment report, discussions took place in technical meetings organised by the European Chemicals Agency (‘the
Agency’).
(4) It follows from Article 90(2) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 that substances for which the Member States’
evaluation has been completed by 1 September 2013 should be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of
Directive 98/8/EC.
(5) In accordance with Article 75(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, the Biocidal Products Committee is
responsible for preparing the opinion of the Agency regarding applications for approval of active substances. In
accordance with Article 7(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1062/2014, the Biocidal Products Committee
adopted the opinions of the Agency on 16 June 2016 (“the opinions of 16 June 2016”)(4), having regard to the
conclusions of the evaluating competent authority.
(6) According to the opinions of 16 June 2016, cyanamide met the criteria to be classified as carcinogen category 2 and
toxic for reproduction category 2 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament
and of the Council(5), and was therefore considered as also having endocrine-disrupting properties in accordance
with Article 5(3) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, pending the adoption of delegated acts specifying the scientific
(1) OJ L 167, 27.6.2012, p. 1.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1062/2014 of 4 August 2014 on the work programme for the systematic examination of
all existing active substances contained in biocidal products referred to in Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament
and of the Council (OJ L 294, 10.10.2014, p. 1).
(3) Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on
the market (OJ L 123, 24.4.1998, p. 1).
(4) Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the active substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 3,
ECHA/BPC/116/2016, adopted on 16 June 2016; Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the active
substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 18, ECHA/BPC/117/2016, adopted on 16 June 2016.
(5) Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and
packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation
(EC) No 1907/2006 (OJ L 353, 31.12.2008, p. 1).L 146/28 EN Official Journal of the European Union 6.6.2023
criteria for the determination of endocrine-disrupting properties. The opinions of 16 June 2016also considered that
the risks to human health and the environment of using the representative biocidal products presented in the
application for approval of cyanamide for product-types 3 and 18 were acceptable subject to appropriate risk
mitigation measures. However, the risk assessment presented in those opinions did not take into account the risks
resulting from the endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide.
(7) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100(6) setting out scientific criteria for the determination of
endocrine-disrupting properties pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 entered into force on 7 December 2017
and came into effect on 7 June 2018.
(8) In anticipation of the application of the new scientific criteria set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100, and
to provide clarity as regards the hazard properties and the risks resulting from the use of cyanamide, on 26 April
2018, pursuant to Article 75(1), point (g), of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, the Commission requested the
Agency(7)to revise its opinions of 16 June 2016 and to clarify whether cyanamide has also endocrine-disrupting
properties on the basis of the scientific criteria laid down in that Delegated Regulation. The Agency was requested
to update only that part of the opinions relating to the assessment of the endocrine-disrupting properties, unless
the conclusion of that assessment affected the results of the risk assessment already performed or the
recommendations for approval. In the latter case, such assessment and recommendations were also to be updated.
For the preparation of the revised opinions of the Agency, the evaluating competent authority of Germany invited
the applicant to submit additional information as regards the assessment of the endocrine-disrupting properties of
cyanamide in accordance with the criteria laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100.
(9) The Biocidal Products Committee adopted the revised opinions of the Agency on 10 December 2019(“the opinions
of 10 December 2019”)(8), having regard to the conclusions of the evaluating competent authority.
(10) According to the opinions of 10 December 2019, cyanamide has endocrine-disrupting properties that may cause
adverse effects in humans and the environment (non-target organisms) on the basis of the criteria laid down in
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100. The opinions remarked that there is no agreed methodology for
undertaking a risk assessment of endocrine-disrupting properties and that, given the exposure to cyanamide of
humans and the environment, a risk related to endocrine-disrupting properties cannot be excluded.
(11) The opinions of 10 December 2019did not contain any information as to whether a safe threshold can be derived in
relation to endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide, and, if so, whether the risks of using the representative
biocidal products presented in the application for approval of cyanamide for product-types 3 and 18 could be
considered acceptable or not, in relation to the endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide.
(12) On 2 September 2020, pursuant to Article 75(1), point (g), of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, the Commission
requested the Agency(9)to revise its opinions of 10 December 2019and to clarify whether a safe threshold may be
derived in relation to the endocrine-disrupting properties of cyanamide, and to conclude whether the risks for
human health and for the environment could be considered acceptable or not.
(6) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100 of 4 September 2017 setting out scientific criteria for the determination of
endocrine-disrupting properties pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and Council (OJ L 301,
17.11.2017, p. 1).
(7) Mandate requesting ECHA opinions under Article 75(1)(g) of the BPR – ‘Evaluation of the Endocrine disrupting properties of certain
biocidal actives substances according to the new scientific criteria’
(8) Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the active substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 3,
ECHA/BPC/230/2019, adopted on 10 December 2019; Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the
active substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 18, ECHA/BPC/231/2019, adopted on 10 December 2019.
(9) Mandate requesting ECHA opinions under Article 75(1)(g) of the BPR – ‘Evaluation of the level of the risks for human health and for
the environment of cyanamide used in biocidal products of product types 3 and 18’.6.6.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 146/29
(13) The Biocidal Products Committee adopted the new revised opinions of the Agency on 30 November 2021 (‘the
opinions of 30 November 2021’)(10), having regard to the conclusions of the evaluating competent authority.
According to those opinions, since it was not possible to derive a safe threshold with respect to the endocrine-
disrupting properties of cyanamide, it is not possible to conclude whether risks for both human health for the
general public and the environment for the representative biocidal product used for product-type 3 (for the
disinfection by professional users against Brachyspira hyodysenteriae of the liquid manure stored underneath the
slatted floor in pig stables in order to protect fattening pigs against the pig disease dysenteria) and product-type 18
(for the control by professional users of Musca domestica in liquid manure in pig stables) are acceptable or not.
Therefore, no conclusion could be drawn whether cyanamide fulfils the approval conditions.
(14) Therefore, given that the opinions of 30 November 2021of the Agency do not provide either a positive or a negative
conclusion on whether cyanamide fulfils the approval conditions, the Commission considers that it has ultimately
not been demonstrated based on the data available in the application submitted for the approval that the
representative biocidal product containing cyanamide for product-types 3 and 18 may be expected to not have
unacceptable effects itself, or as a result of its residues, on human health and on the environment.
(15) Taking into account the opinions of 30 November 2021, it has not been demonstrated that biocidal products of
product-types 3 and 18 containing cyanamide meet the criteria laid down in Article 5(1), points (b) (iii) and (iv),
read in conjunction with Article 10(1) of Directive 98/8/EC. It is therefore appropriate not to approve cyanamide
for use in biocidal products of product-types 3 and 18.
(16) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
Biocidal Products,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Cyanamide (EC No: 206-992-3; CAS No: 420-04-2) is not approved as an active substance for use in biocidal products of
product-types 3 and 18.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.
Done at Brussels, 5 June 2023.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
(10) Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the active substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 3,
ECHA/BPC/301/2021, adopted on 30 November 2021; Biocidal Products Committee Opinion on the application for approval of the
active substance: Cyanamide, Product type: 18, ECHA/BPC/302/2021, adopted on 30 November 2021.