Review: HELASOFT at the 19th Annual Conference of the Chem-Academy for Product Safety in the Chemical Industry
26th – 27th of January 2026
Two intense days in Cologne: At the beginning of the week, the 19th symposium on “Product Safety in the Chemical Industry” once again provided ample opportunity for exchange between industry, authorities, and consultants. The many contributions from Evonik, UL Solutions, BASF, Merck, Henkel, and many others also contributed to this. As a long-standing partner of Chem-Academy, Helasoft was right in the thick of things. Here are a few impressions:
The Clean Industrial Deal (ICD) is taking shape
The initial focus was on the new European action plans to strengthen competitiveness. While the Green Deal already contains specific regulatory requirements, the ICD remains a political declaration of intent for the time being.
REACH revision: Yes, no, maybe?
Another focus was the planned revision of the REACH regulation. The industry presented proposals aimed primarily at simplification and a reduction in administrative burdens, not deregulation. Will the revision come at Easter 2026? That remains to be seen.
Regulation and digital transformation (S/4HANA)
The role of digital processes, particularly in the context of S/4HANA transformations, was also discussed at length. It became clear that the right tools and structured processes can significantly ease the burden on product safety departments during the transformation.
We ourselves support companies in this process, for example with HelaFlash, our tool for secure, automated SAP data migration.
PFAS: new "proportionality". Global patchwork quilt.
The issue of PFAS is becoming increasingly complex. In future, greater attention will be paid to proportionality when imposing restrictions.
Helasoft partner UL Solutions highlighted the inconsistency of current PFAS regulations: some EU countries have already imposed bans. In the US, the situation is even more fragmented due to the lack of a uniform definition of PFAS.
CLP revision and Chemicals Simplification Omnibus
The planned simplifications within the framework of the CLP revision were also highlighted. The current proposal by the EU Commission provides, among other things, for the withdrawal of certain new requirements. The “stop-the-clock” rule gives companies more time until the EU Parliament takes a position in April.
New product liability law requires proactive action
The new regulation will make it easier to enforce claims for damages in the future. It will be transposed into German law at the end of 2026. Companies should prepare for possible lawsuits at an early stage and also strengthen internal processes and documentation in product safety accordingly in order to minimize risks.
Farewell and thanks
A big thank you to Volker J. Soballa and Dr. Bjoern Nehls, who guided us confidently through the program.
Special applause was given to Raimund Weiß (BAuA), who has helped shape the event series since its inception as a pragmatic advisor!
Many thanks also to everyone else for the stimulating conversations and discussions. We would like to invite you to continue the discussions.
