In early May, the European Commission published the revised version of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The new regulations provide significant relief for many companies and create greater clarity regarding the implementation of the requirements. Particularly positive is the distinction between first-time placers on the market and downstream operators. Downstream operators will no longer be required to prepare their own due diligence statement. Instead, it will suffice to obtain the reference number of their supplier’s due diligence statement and document it accordingly. For first-time placers on the market, however, the requirements remain unchanged. They must continue to fulfill all [...]

1. REACH: Proposal to Restrict PFAS In recent months, the process for the planned EU-wide restriction of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) has taken further shape. On March 3, the RAC (Committee for Risk Assessment) completed its evaluation of the general proposal to restrict PFAS. The report confirms that a comprehensive re-striction of PFAS is generally considered an appropriate means of reducing environ-mental and health risks. The draft opinion on the PFAS restriction proposal published by the SEAC (Socio-Economic Analysis Committee) on March 26 generally supports a comprehensive PFAS restriction, while acknowledging the need for targeted exemp-tions to ensure the measures [...]

In the market, differing terminology surrounding the so-called product passport and its various forms is causing significant confusion among industry and retailers. The term has been used for years in the contexts of sustainability and the circular economy, but it is not uniformly defined by law. Rather, it describes the concept of providing information in a structured manner throughout a product’s lifecycle. The following article explains what content and requirements lie behind each term and how the “product passport” requirement can be optimally implemented using digital solutions. Definition: Product passport, Digital Product Passport (DPP), and material passport are [...]

With DataCross, tec4U-Solutions GmbH provides a software platform that holistically maps product- and company-related sustainability requirements in a digital format. Complex requirements such as REACH, RoHS, PFAS, TSCA, EUDR, CO2 emissions calculations, or supply chain due diligence obligations can thus be implemented for the first time in a flexible, legally compliant, and cost-effective manner. The EU is currently making many sustainability obligations less binding as part of so-called omnibus initiatives. Nevertheless, compliance with material-related requirements—particularly regarding the marketing of products and resource availability—remains essential for companies to further stay competitive in the market. The DataCross compliance platform takes these [...]

With the entry into force of the local standard “Water Pollutant Discharge Standard for Chemical Industrial Parks in Sichuan Province (DB51/3202—2024)” on July 1, 2025, specific discharge limits for the PFAS compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were established for the first time in the Chinese province of Sichuan. This regulation thus represents significant progress in the regulation of so-called “new pollutants.” The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is an international treaty that has aimed since 2004 to protect people and the environment from long-lived, bioaccumulative chemicals. The People’s Republic of China is a [...]

The European Union has expanded Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation to include new restrictions on formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing substances. The regulation takes effect on August 12, 2026, and applies to articles from which formaldehyde may be released. The focus is on further reducing emissions and providing increased protection for consumers and workers. In the future, binding limits will apply to formaldehyde emissions, particularly for products intended for indoor use. The limits are set as follows: • 0.062 mg/m³ for furniture and wood-based products • 0.080 mg/m³ for other products In addition, a specific requirement for road vehicles has [...]

Politics and business are calling for products to be recyclable and for recycled materials to be used in the manufacture of new products. However, all these approaches are only possible if the relevant material data for the products is available so that they can be recycled in a technically sensible and economically viable manner and made available for the manufacture of new products. Within a wide variety of European and national legislations, the use of recycled materials in new products is either mandatory or indirectly required through documentation requirements. The first set of legal regulations to formulate this requirement is [...]

tec4U-Solutions GmbH has been recognized by DISQTrust for its excellent service quality. DISQTrust is a brand of the German Institute for Service Quality (DISQ), which has been conducting objective, independent market analyses to evaluate service quality in Germany for almost 20 years. The award is based on a comprehensive evaluation of key service factors, including recommendation rate, website quality, user-friendliness of digital service elements, and personal customer contact. In a field where complex regulatory requirements and digital tools are intertwined, it is particularly important to combine technical expertise, transparency, and clear accessibility. tec4U-Solutions GmbH impressed in all relevant categories. [...]

On November 1, 2025, Dominik Nieser officially joined the management board, taking on the role of COO (Chief Operating Officer). In this role, Mr. Nieser will be responsible for the data services, administration, and human resources divisions. He will also work with the current CEO, Stefan Nieser, to shape the strategic development of tec4U-Solutions GmbH and will be fully involved in the management of the company. This significant structural development within the management board represents an important milestone for the future direction and performance of our company. Background and objectives of the expansion The past few years have been marked [...]

With the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the scope of application now extends to many industries such as mechanical engineering, construction, the recreational vehicle and automotive sectors, sanitary products, furniture, as well as packaging and publishing, since their products fall under the regulation. The due diligence requirements pose significant challenges for companies, as the newly required data is often not readily available. Many relevant sectors—such as the furniture industry (wood), the rubber industry (tires, hoses, seals), or the food industry (cocoa, coffee, oil palm)—are characterized by highly complex supply chains. Producers of raw materials often operate in Africa or South [...]