EU poison centre notifications, in plain words.
Every guide here cites its primary source with a date: ECHA guidance, the regulation text on EUR-Lex, the enforcement reports. Check any claim against them. The guides are written for the people who file notifications.
Start here
What is a UFI code? The Unique Formula Identifier, explainedWhat the UFI code on chemical labels means, who must have one, how it is generated from a VAT number, and the one-UFI-one-composition rule.Read the guidePoison centre notification (PCN): the Article 45 duty explainedWhat a poison centre notification is, where the duty comes from, what goes into one, who has to submit it, and where the time actually goes.Read the guideAnnex VIII to CLP explained: what the law actually requiresAnnex VIII to the CLP Regulation explained from the operative text: the amendment chain to 2020/1677, its Part A-D structure, and the 2024/2865 changes.Read the guideEuPCS categories: how to choose the right product category for your PCNHow the EuPCS works: five levels, about 250 categories and exactly one choice, with worked examples for a cleaner, a decorative paint and an adhesive.Read the guide
Scope, deadlines & enforcement
06- Do I need to submit a PCN? A decision guide to scope and exemptionsA decision guide to poison centre notification scope: the hazard classes that trigger a PCN, the narrow exemptions, and the private-label trap.
- PCN deadlines: every date has passed - what applies nowEvery PCN deadline has passed: consumer and professional 2021, industrial 2024, transition end 2025. The obligation is now continuous: what that means.
- UFI vs PCN: the five-minute code and the dossier behind itThe UFI is a 16-character code generated in minutes; the PCN is the dossier behind it. What each is, how they differ, and why you always need both.
- Who must submit a PCN? Duty holders under CLP Article 45Which company owes the poison centre notification: importers, formulators, re-branders, and when distributors join under Regulation (EU) 2024/2865.
- PCN enforcement: what the EU-wide inspection pilot foundECHA's pilot checked 1,597 mixtures in 18 countries: 19% lacked a PCN, 15% a label UFI. The enforcement actions, national penalties and REF-14.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/2865: what the CLP revision changes for poison centre notificationsWhat the November 2024 CLP revision changes for poison centre work: distributor duties, digital labels and staged dates from 1 July 2026 to 2028.
How-to guides
11- How to generate a UFI: from VAT number to label-ready codeHow to generate a UFI step by step: VAT number or company key, formulation numbers, ECHA’s free generator (single and bulk), validation and labelling.
- How to submit a PCN: the full process, step by stepThe PCN submission process end to end: confirming the duty, gathering data, choosing between IUCLID Cloud, IUCLID 6 and S2S, and reading the submission report.
- PCN required information: the complete data checklistThe full checklist of what a poison centre notification must contain, from submitter identity to market area, and what a limited submission drops.
- What is an i6z file? The IUCLID PCN dossier, demystifiedWhat a IUCLID .i6z dossier file is: what’s inside the archive, how one gets built, how to inspect one safely, and why you never hand-edit it.
- PCN format versions: v8, the annual cycle, and what changesPCN format v8 has been current since April 2026, replacing v7. What changes between versions, what it means for existing notifications, and how to stay current.
- UFI label requirements: how and where to print the codeUFI labelling under Annex VIII Part A: the capital “UFI:” prefix, visibility and indelibility, placement options, the SDS alternative and multilingual labels.
- Mixture in mixture (MiM): how to notify what your supplier won't discloseHow to notify a mixture in mixture (MiM) under Annex VIII: full composition, supplier UFI, or SDS data plus supplier contact, and what inspectors check.
- When does a UFI change? The composition triggers under Annex VIIIThe Annex VIII Part B 4.1 triggers that force a new UFI, the changes that do not, and how to keep formulation versions under control.
- How to update a poison centre notificationUpdate vs new notification, the update reasons in the PCN format, the timing rules, and why every update must pass the current format's validation.
- Consumer, professional or industrial use: what your PCN use type changesWhat the three PCN use types mean, the limited submission for industrial-only mixtures, how mixed-use products are handled, and why misdeclaring backfires.
- PCN group submissions and standard formulas: when the shortcuts pay offHow group submissions, standard formulas, the bespoke-paint exemption and the fuels derogation reduce PCN work: their conditions, and when they backfire.
Costs & options
08- PCN submission options compared: portal, consultant, suite or focused toolAn honest comparison of the four ways to submit a poison centre notification: ECHA’s free portal, a consultant, an enterprise EHS suite or a focused tool.
- How much does a PCN cost? The full price breakdownWhat a poison centre notification costs in 2026: ECHA charges nothing, national fees apply in Belgium, Hungary and Italy, plus time and service costs.
- PCN software: how to choose a poison centre notification toolPCN software in three kinds: enterprise EHS suites, the free IUCLID stack and focused submission tools, with an evaluation checklist and honest fit notes.
- Do I need a consultant for PCN submissions?When you can handle a poison centre notification yourself, when a consultant earns their fee, and five questions to ask before engaging one.
- Sphera alternatives for EU chemical SMEsWhere Sphera’s enterprise compliance platform genuinely fits, where it is overkill for an EU SME with 10-100 mixtures, and the PCN alternatives compared.
- Lisam ExESS alternatives for EU chemical SMEsWhere Lisam’s ExESS SDS platform genuinely fits, where it is overkill for an EU SME that only needs PCN submissions, and the alternatives compared.
- EcoOnline alternatives for EU chemical SMEsWhere EcoOnline’s EHS and chemical-safety platform genuinely fits, where it is overkill for PCN-only work, and the alternatives for EU chemical SMEs compared.
- ChemGes alternatives for EU chemical SMEsWhere the ChemGes desktop SDS software genuinely fits, where it is more than an EU SME needs for PCN submissions alone, and the alternatives compared.
Operations & inspections
02- PCN validation errors: why submissions fail and how to fix themWhy PCN submissions fail ECHA validation: how BR and QLT rules differ, the main failure families with fixes, and a triage workflow for resubmission.
- REF-14 inspection readiness: the 2026 mixture enforcement projectWhat ECHA's REF-14 enforcement project checks through 2026, how it differs from the 2025 PCN pilot, and a readiness checklist for mixture suppliers.
Reference & tools
PCN requirements by countryAppointed body, fees, languages and submission route for the 30 EU/EEA countries, in one table.Free UFI generatorCreate a UFI from your VAT number and a formulation number, with ECHA's algorithm, in your browser.Free UFI decoderDecode a UFI into the company identifier and formulation number it was generated from, in your browser.Free UFI checkerCheck any UFI against ECHA's published algorithm, in your browser.GlossaryWorking definitions of the terms in PCN work: UFI, EuPCS, MiM, limited submission and more.FAQDirect answers to the questions people ask about PCNs and UFIs, each with its primary source.