How does the UFI creation and PCN notification service work?
After purchasing this service, you will receive access to the secure portal. This portal contains an overview of all steps. You fill in your product details and we will get to work.
Poison Center Notification & UFI
We will provide:
- Your product’s Unique Formula Identifier (UFI)
- A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) report
- Registration of your product with the relevant national Poison Centres via ECHA.
Countries for PCN registration
You can count the number of countries in which you want to register your product. This is the number of countries you need to purchase. You will be able to select the specific countries within the portal. If you plan to expand the sales of your products to new countries at a later date, then you can always order additional PCN country registrations.
The EU has 27 countries and the EEA has 30 (EU+Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland) In the portal you can select these countries:
| Belgium | (BE) | Spain | (ES) | Hungary | (HU) | Slovakia | (SK) |
| Bulgaria | (BG) | France | (FR) | Malta | (MT) | Finland | (FI) |
| Czechia | (CZ) | Croatia | (HR) | Netherlands | (NL) | Sweden | (SE) |
| Denmark | (DK) | Italy | (IT) | Austria | (AT) | Germany | (DE) |
| Cyprus | (CY) | Poland | (PL) | Iceland | (IS) | Estonia | (EE) |
| Latvia | (LV) | Portugal | (PT) | Liechtenstein | (LI) | Ireland | (IE) |
| Lithuania | (LT) | Romania | (RO) | Norway | (NO) | Greece | (EL) |
| Luxembourg | (LU) | Slovenia | (SI) | Switzerland* | (CH) |
*For Switzerland we can create the PCN dossier, with all the needed information to make a submission in the Swiss portal. Contact us for more information.
CLP Label Information
We offer the option to purchase a CLP compliant product label, containing all mandatory information as required by the EU CLP Regulation. This will be provided as a PDF. This is not a design, but a summery of the required information. This will enable you to integrate the necessary information into your product label design. You can also order the CLP label creation separately. Already have a label? — We can do a CLP label compliance check of your label in accordance with current CLP requirements. We will provide detailed feedback and corrections to ensure your label meets all regulatory standards.
Poison Centre Notification for Plant Biostimulants
Plant biostimulants are innovative products that stimulate plant nutrition processes independently of their nutrient content. These products aim to improve characteristics such as nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, or crop quality traits. While plant biostimulants contribute to sustainable agriculture, they may include chemical substances that require careful handling. To ensure compliance with EU regulations and provide essential safety data during emergencies, a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is mandatory for hazardous plant biostimulants.
What is a UFI?
The Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) is a 16-character alphanumeric code that links a specific plant biostimulant product to its Poison Centre Notification. This code is a key safety feature that must be displayed on the product label, allowing poison centres to identify the product quickly in case of an emergency.
What is a PCN?
A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is a detailed submission made to Poison Centres. It contains critical product information, including chemical composition, hazard classification, and intended use. For plant biostimulants, this ensures that poison centres can provide accurate advice and effective responses to accidental exposure or misuse.
What is CLP?
The Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) regulation standardizes the classification and labelling of hazardous chemicals across the EU. Plant biostimulants classified as hazardous under CLP must include hazard symbols, precautionary statements, and the UFI on their labels to inform users about potential risks and promote safe use.
What is the Poison Centre?
The Poison Centre is a network of national organizations responsible for managing chemical exposure and poisoning incidents. By accessing PCN data, poison centres can offer precise and timely advice in emergencies involving plant biostimulants or other hazardous substances.
Why is This Needed?
Plant biostimulants may contain active ingredients or additives that, while beneficial for plant growth, can pose risks to human health or the environment if mishandled. The PCN ensures that poison centres have access to detailed product data, enabling them to provide accurate and prompt guidance during emergencies. This enhances user safety and environmental protection.
Since When is This by Law Obligatory?
Submitting a PCN for hazardous mixtures, including plant biostimulants, has been a legal requirement since January 1, 2021, under Annex VIII of the CLP regulation.
FAQ
Question: Do all plant biostimulants require a PCN?
Answer: No, only plant biostimulants classified as hazardous under the CLP regulation require a PCN.
Question: What information is required for a PCN submission?
Answer: A PCN submission must include details about the product’s chemical composition, hazard classification, intended use, packaging, and the Unique Formula Identifier (UFI).
Question: Where should the UFI be displayed on plant biostimulants?
Answer: The UFI must be printed on the product label, close to the hazard and precautionary information.
Question: Who is responsible for submitting the PCN for plant biostimulants?
Answer: The manufacturer, importer, or downstream user who places the plant biostimulant on the EU market is responsible for submitting the PCN.
Question: What happens if a PCN is not submitted?
Answer: Non-compliance with PCN requirements can result in fines, product recalls, or restrictions on the sale of the product within the EU.
Question: Are plant biostimulants with no hazardous classification exempt from PCN requirements?
Answer: Yes, only hazardous plant biostimulants, as defined by the CLP regulation, require a PCN submission.
Question: Can the UFI be included on the product packaging instead of the label?
Answer: No, the UFI must be displayed directly on the product label, near the hazard and precautionary information.
Question: How long does it take to submit the UFI and PCN notification?
It takes us a few days’ work. As soon as you upload the documentation, we will get started right away.
Question: Am I the owner of the PCN notification?
Yes, you are the owner of the PCN notification. You retain full ownership of the data you provided. The PCN notification will be accessible in your ECHA account.
Question: Is this service for one product or more?
The service is for one product.
Question: Why do I have to pay to create a UFI?
The service we offer is not just about providing a UFI. The UFI is a component within a much more extensive process. The core service we provide is the preparation and submission of your Poison Centre Notification (PCN) to national appointed bodies through ECHA portal, which is a mandatory requirement under the EU CLP Regulation for placing hazardous mixtures on the market. Generating a UFI is simplest part. The PCN report, however, is complex. It demands detailed ingredient review—chemical classifications—formatted precisely for Poison Centre submission via ECHA.
Question: My company is not based in the EU, how can I submit a PCN?
We provide a solution for companies which are not based in the EU. You can find more information on the PCN & UFI for non-EU companies page.
Question: Can you provide Safety Data Sheets in full compliance with EU Regulation (REACH & CLP)?
Yes, we can create Safety Data Sheets (SDS)— also known as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)— tailored to your product and compliant with the latest EU regulations. Whether you are manufacturing chemical mixtures, importing products into the EU, or distributing under a private label, a compliant SDS is legally required and essential for safe use throughout the supply chain. You will find more on the Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS) Creation Service page.
