PCN Notification & UFI Code

PCN Notification & UFI Code

Since 1 January 2025, the transition period has closed for good. Every hazardous mixture placed on the EU market must now be notified to the national Poison Centres in the harmonised PCN format, under Article 45 and Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008. There is no grace period and no national exemption left.

What the UFI Code Is

The UFI (Unique Formula Identifier) is a 16-character alphanumeric code that links a mixture’s composition to its notification, so that in an emergency the Poison Centre has immediate access to the correct compositional data. The code is generated from the company’s VAT number and a formulation number unique to each recipe, and it must appear on the product label.

What a PCN Dossier Contains

The dossier includes full company details, the UFI code, the complete composition of the mixture, CLP classification and labelling, toxicological information, physical state, pH where relevant, and the product category under the European Product Categorisation System (EuPCS). We prepare the file in IUCLID format, ready for submission without delays caused by missing data.

Who Holds the Obligation

The obligation falls on the importer or downstream user who first places the mixture on the EU market. In some cases this obligation is extended to distributors who relabel or re-brand products in another Member State, unless they can show the notification has already been submitted upstream in the supply chain.

Enforcement Has Already Started

A pilot enforcement check by ECHA across 18 EU and EEA countries, with results published in early 2026, found that nearly 1 in 5 checked mixtures, 19 percent, had not been notified at all. Submission is made through the ECHA Submission Portal, separately for each Member State where the product is sold.

How This Connects to Your SDS

We handle the whole process, from generating the UFI code to submitting the PCN dossier in every relevant Member State, fully consistent with the product’s SDS. Get in touch to review your obligations.