Amazon | EU REACH Compliance Declaration / Test Report

To sell certain products on Amazon, you need to provide Amazon with a reach compliance declaration or a test report. But what is REACH?

What is REACH? How does it apply to products?

When selling products on the Amazon marketplace, you need to ensure compliance with RegULation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of CheMICals (REACH). According to REACH, if certain chemicals (such as heavy metals) in a product (i.e., a finished product) exceed the specified limits, the product cannot be sold. For more information about REACH, please refer to the help page.

Appendix XVII of the reach regulation sets specific limits on the maximum allowable content of cadmium, nickel, and lead for products containing metal components, as outlined in Articles 23, 27, and 63:

Cadmium:

- Jewelry: 0.01% (100 ppm)

- Toys/children’s products: 0.005% (50 ppm)

Nickel:

- Release rate: 0.5 μg/cm²/week

Lead:

- Toys/children’s products: 0.05% (500 ppm)

For detailed information about these limits and the complete list of restrictions in REACH Appendix XVII, visit the ECHA website.

How does REACH affect the products I sell?

Amazon prohibits the sale of products that exceed the limit levels specified in Appendix XVII. For certain products, Amazon requires manufacturers to provide a REACH declaration or test report to demonstrate that the product complies with the REACH limits for cadmium, nickel, and lead content. These products include:

- Jewelry and costume jewelry that pierces the skin, such as earrings and body piercing items

- Jewelry and costume jewelry worn on the fingers and toes, such as rings and toe rings

- Jewelry and costume jewelry worn around the neck, such as necklaces

- Jewelry and costume jewelry worn around the wrists and ankles, such as bracelets and ankle chains

Additionally, Amazon or market regulators may physically inspect products, which may require you to provide further information or suspend sales. Therefore, it is essential to provide all requiRED compliance documentation for all products to apply for reinstatement.

How to apply for approval or reinstate my ASIN?

If your ASIN is jewelry or costume jewelry as mentioned above, or has undergone physical testing, we will need additional documents, and you will receive an email with further instructions. In such cases, if you wish to sell or continue selling these products on Amazon, please submit the following information to eu-chemical-safety@amazon.co.uk:

- Company name

- Phone number

- Email address

- Seller/vendor number

- A list of the ASINs you are applying to sell

- The EU marketplace where you wish to continue listing your ASIN

To speed up the process, please submit one application for each ASIN series/variant/model.

Amazon accepts two types of compliance documents to approve or reinstate your ASIN:

(1) REACH Compliance Declaration

This document is a declaration from the manufacturer stating compliance with REACH requirements. The declaration should also mention any Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) contained in the product. A REACH compliance declaration can either be self-certified by the manufacturer or issued to the manufacturer by a third-party testing organization.

(2) REACH Heavy Metal Test Report

These test reports should confirm that all components of the product comply with REACH’s heavy metal thresholds (please refer to the table above). If your product fails a physical inspection by Amazon or market regulators, we will require a reach test report.

By applying to sell or reinstate such products, you guarantee that all the information you submit is true and accurate.

Who is responsible for obtaining these documents?

If someone contacts you, you are responsible for providing these documents to Amazon. If you are the brand owner or importer, you should already have these documents. If you are a distributor, you may need to request these documents from your supplier. If you (or your supplier) do not have these documents, you may need to conduct testing yourself to prove compliance.