Agenda
Day 1
May 14, 2025
Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration
Co-Chairs’ Welcome Remarks
Dr. Marc RuttloffPartnerGleiss Lutz
Setting the stage for upcoming discussions, we will look at the role of PFAS regulations within the EU’s Green Deal framework and its ambitious climate neutrality targets. We will delve into the alignment of environmental and economic goals, the anticipated impact on industries, and the regulatory measures pushing for sustainable alternatives to PFAS by 2025.
The panel will also examine several regulatory measures already put into place to ensure carbon neutrality and ban PFAS chemicals, including the Plastics Packaging and Waste Regulation, Food Packaging Regulations, Essential Use, and Greenwashing directive.
PANEL
The Future of the Proposed PFAS Restriction Dossier: New EU Policy Shifts and Regulatory Impacts
Ales Bartl, Ph.DPartnerKeller & Heckman LLP (Belgium)
Kirsten MetzSenior Manager Chemicals and Environmental Policy | Vice-Chair of Orgalim Chemicals Task Force ZVEI (the Electro and Digital Industry Association)
Pavel GlukhovPartnerEU Focus Group
This panel will provide an update on the EU’s evolving PFAS regulations, focusing on the latest status of ECHA’s Proposed Restriction Dossier which seeks to restrict over 10,000 PFAS chemicals under REACH.
- Update on ECHA’s latest REACH proposal, including the potential full ban, sector-specific derogations, and ongoing public consultations shaping future decisions
- Examining the EU’s efforts to align environmental and economic goals under the Green Deal
- Understanding how the post-election political landscape could shift PFAS regulation
- Emphasizing the need for science-based PFAS regulation while addressing socio-economic challenges of transitioning away from PFAS
Morning Networking Coffee Break
PANEL
Seeking and Understanding Derogations for PFAS, under ECHA’s Proposal and Member State Provisions
Claudio MereuPartnerFieldfisher (Belgium)
Cándido García MolyneuxOf CounselCovington & Burling LLP (Belgium)
Olivier BraultPresidentFederation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries (FEC)
This panel will explore EU and national PFAS derogations under the proposed ban, covering criteria for exceptions. We will also explore ongoing European Commission discussions on this matter.
- Understanding what derogations for PFAS entail, looking at the specific criteria and circumstances under which derogations are granted at the EU and Member State levels
- Examining the scope and value of derogations granted by member states
- Analyzing how different sectors – such as electronics, life sciences, and construction products – will be affected by the possibility of not obtaining derogations for PFAS use
- Speculating on the potential changes to derogation policies as new scientific data emerges and as public perception of PFAS evolves
Fireside Chat with Member States and Dossier Submitter Representatives: Insights from Germany and The Netherlands
Thijs de KortDeputy Head of Bureau REACH RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
Dr Frauke AverbeckScientific Officer Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Federal Office for Chemicals, Germany
Networking Lunch
Dr. Jakob BierwagenCross functional topics (ME-SE/PAI-C)Robert Bosch GmbH
Ethan O’BrienGroup Director Sustainable Ops and Regulatory AffairsKP Films
René SchröderDirector GeneralEuropean Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA)
Arthur VandenbergheSustainability Policy Officer, FIM and ChairOrgalim
Cindy VandecasteeleSenior Environmental Policy ManagerEuropean Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA)
Join thought leaders from diverse industries – construction products, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals – to understand how they are managing the impact of ECHA’s PFAS ban proposal. We’ll review compliance concerns and the legal and regulatory challenges of finding viable alternatives.
- Examining cross-industry perspectives on how different sectors are being affected by PFAS restrictions and what are they doing to adapt:
- Pharmaceuticals/medical devices
- Automotive
- Construction products
- Semiconductors
- Consumer Products, including Food
- Packaging
- Exploring the impact of PFAS restrictions in industries like electronics and refrigeration, which have also been affected by the complexities of the FGAS regulation
Afternoon Break
PANEL
Fluoropolymers in Focus: A Case Study on Industry Applications, Regulatory Frameworks, and Compliance Challenges
Bruno AmeduriDirector of Research, National Center for Scientific ResearchCharles Gerhardt Institute
The Fluoropolymers Product Group
This panel will explore the crucial role of fluoropolymers in the electronics and semiconductors industries amidst the new PFAS ban proposal.
- Understanding how fluoropolymers are regulated across key global regions, focusing on their safety profile during the use phase
- Clarifying the differences between fluoropolymers and other PFAS substances
- Developing strategies for effectively communicating scientific data and the importance of fluoropolymers in critical industries in an evolving legal and regulatory framework
- Assessing the impact of major European producers’ withdrawal from fluoropolymer production, including the 2025 pending closure of Bavaria’s only fluoropolymers recycling plant
Elisa ConsoliREACH & Chemicals Manager Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
Jonathan CrozierHead of Chemicals Policy & Environment PolicyBASF Europe
Pierre GermainTechnical and Regulatory Affairs ManagerEuropean Association of Chemical Distributors (Fecc)
This panel will explore the technical challenges of replacing PFAS in high-performance sectors such as the semiconductor and automotive industries. It will address the risks of “regrettable substitution” and how innovation is impacted under increasing regulatory pressure.
- Understanding the difficulties in replacing PFAS for high-performance uses, particularly in industries like automotive and electronics
- Defining what makes an alternative truly viable and determining who decides if a substitution is beneficial or harmful
- Understanding the essential use concept in determining when PFAS can be phased out, focusing on applications critical to health, safety, or the environment
- Discussing the importance of essential use guidelines for industries as they assess the necessity of PFAS in certain applications and explore alternatives
- Evaluating where industries stand on PFAS substitutes and how innovation might evolve over the next 10-20 years with potential tighter regulations
- With PFAS under scrutiny in both PPWR and REACH, how are packaging companies assessing PFAS alternatives, to prevent “regrettable substitution”?
Closing Remarks – Conference Adjourns
Day 2
May 15, 2025
Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration
Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks and Recap of Day One
France’s ANSES and Denmark’s EPA Focus Session on Proposal of Individual PFAS Bans
Caroline MayPartnerNorton Rose (UK)
Join our panelists for an in-depth comparative analysis of PFAS regulation across key jurisdictions, including the U.S., UK, and Australia. We will explore lessons learned from the U.S., including recent legal developments, and UK’s distinct approach to PFAS.
- Exploring how these jurisdictions are addressing PFAS bans/restrictions
- Analyzing recent legal developments in the U.S. and what Europe can learn from these approaches
- How will the second Trump Administration address PFAS under new EPA leadership
- Understanding how the UK is charting its own course with PFAS regulations
- Discussing similarities and opportunities for global cooperation in PFAS regulation, and how different regions can learn from each other’s successes and challenges
Morning Networking Break
FOCUS ON LITIGATION
Nathalie SmythPartnerKennedys Law
Join panelists as we dive into recent high-profile PFAS lawsuits reshaping environmental liability standards and corporate accountability. Through these case studies, the panel will explore litigation strategies, challenges in proving causation, and future implications for both corporate and environmental law.
- 3M’s Landmark Settlement
- DuPont’s Ongoing Challenges
Navigating the Road Ahead: Emerging PFAS Litigation in Europe, Class Actions and Third-Party Funding and Corporate Liability
This session will delve into the rapidly evolving PFAS litigation landscape across Europe with a focus on how plaintiffs’ counsel and third-party litigation funders are increasingly targeting environmental claims.
With only a few cases historically brought forward, Europe is now seeing an uptick in legal actions as funders recognize the potential for significant payouts in environmental liability cases. There are also concerns as to how the EU’s new Products Liability directive may affect PFAS litigation and how existing class action mechanisms may be used.
Panelists will discuss proactive measures businesses can take to mitigate risk, especially as new obligations under the EU’s due diligence regulations require transparency around PFAS usage and environmental impact disclosures.
Networking Lunch
Hear from our speakers on the latest scientific advancements in detecting and understanding PFAS, focusing on their varying hazard levels. Join us and appreciate the importance of having a nuanced approach as opposed to one-size-fits-all bans.
- Understanding the differences between various types of PFAS and why a one-size-fits-all approach to regulation and hazard assessment may not be effective
- Exploring the latest techniques for detecting and quantifying PFAS at ultra-low levels, and how these methods have evolved over the past two decades
Anticipating The Future Outlook of European PFAS Regulations and Upcoming Conclusions from ECHA’s Second Consultation
As the new EU Parliament debates the scope of PFAS restrictions, this session will explore the evolving political landscape and its impact on various affected industries. With potential bans ranging from selective restrictions to broader prohibitions, companies may face innovation challenges and economic downturn.
- Anticipating how new EU commissioners and shifting political priorities may drive PFAS regulations in the coming years
- What insights can we anticipate from ECHA’s second consultation, particularly regarding the scope and implications of a PFAS ban?
- Understanding how ideological shifts in the new EU Parliament may result in a more business friendly environment regarding PFAS
- Examining the long-term outlook for industries affected by PFAS regulations, including potential supply chain disruptions and innovation hurdles
- Understanding why certain companies may relocate to China and India due to regulatory uncertainty, and what is the impact on the European economy?