Date: August 11, 2026 (Monday)
Policy Areas: China GB Standards / EU REACH / US TSCA
Risk Level: BASELINE (Routine Monitoring)
1. Key Policy Updates This Cycle
1. China: GB38031-2025 Electric Vehicle Battery Safety Standard – Now in Effect
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Nature: Mandatory National Standard
Key Changes:
- Thermal runaway test: upgraded from “provide alarm signal 5 minutes before fire/explosion” to no fire, no explosion (mandatory requirement)
- New bottom impact test to assess battery protection against underside impacts
- Enhanced insulation resistance requirements, including AC circuit battery systems
- Tougher compression test with additional insulation resistance criteria
Risk Level: High – applies to all EV power batteries for export and domestic sale
2. EU: REACH SVHC List Continues to Expand
The REACH SVHC Candidate List has grown to 253 substances (from 242 in November 2024). Key implications:
- Supply chain communication obligations expand (SVHC greater than 0.1% requires customer notification)
- SCIP database reporting burden continues to grow
- Key watch: Triphenyl phosphate (TPP, CAS 115-86-6) – endocrine disruptor added recently
3. US: TSCA Enforcement Ongoing
US EPA continues TSCA existing chemicals assessments and risk management. No major new rules published in August 2026.
2. Baseline Monitoring Conclusion
This cycle (August 11, 2026) – no major sudden policy changes detected. Key items requiring ongoing attention:
| Policy | Current Status | Next Milestone | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB38031-2025 | In Effect (since 2026.7.1) | Compliance review period | Audit test reports immediately |
| REACH SVHC | Expanding continuously (253 items) | New batch possible monthly | Establish rapid SVHC response protocol |
| US TSCA | Stable enforcement | Monitor EPA quarterly reports | Subscribe to TSCA list update alerts |
3. Recommended Actions
- Immediate: Conduct full SVHC screening for EV battery and advanced materials products exported to Europe (focus on newly added entries in the 253-item list)
- Within 7 days: Complete GB38031-2025 compliance self-assessment – verify thermal runaway, bottom impact, and insulation resistance test results
- Ongoing: Subscribe to ECHA candidate list update notifications – new batches can be published at any time
- Supply Chain: Update supplier material declaration templates to cover newly added SVHC substances
This report is auto-generated by the Policy Intelligence Monitoring System | Coverage: EU REACH SVHC / US EPA TSCA / China GB Standards
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