At a time of profound geopolitical, economic and societal transformation, Europe is redefining its priorities around resilience, competitiveness and sustainability. In this evolving landscape, the cleaning and hygiene products industry—represented by Detergents Europe—plays a fundamental yet often under-recognised role.
Our sector delivers essential solutions that protect public health, people’s wellbeing and key value chains across Europe. Maintaining a strong European cleaning and hygiene industry is of strategic importance to a healthy and resilient Europe.
The EU policy landscape is evolving rapidly. Key initiatives—including the recent revision of the Detergents Regulation, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the EU Ecolabel framework, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and the CLP revision—alongside upcoming files such as the Circular Economy Act and the Biotech Act II, will significantly shape the future of the sector. These developments offer important opportunities to advance sustainability, while also requiring coherence, predictability and a robust science-based approach to ensure effective and workable implementation.