SICO Biocide Cancelled in the EU: What Manufacturers and Users Must Do

Key data

As of April 15, 2026, the SICO Biocidal Product Family biocide family has no valid authorization in the European Union. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/835 cancels the Union authorization that had been granted under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2205, which is expressly repealed.

This is not a minor technical change: any company that manufactures, distributes or professionally uses these products in disinfection, preservation or pest control processes must act now. Continuing to use or market these biocides without a valid alternative authorization exposes the company to administrative sanctions under the national legislation implementing Regulation (EU) 528/2012.

What does this regulation establish?

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/835 has two direct and simultaneous effects:

• Cancels the Union authorization for the SICO Biocidal Product Family biocide family, which means that no product in that family can be legally marketed or used in the EU under that authorization.
• Repeals Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2205, which was the regulation that originally granted such authorization.

The following table summarizes the regulatory change:

The legal framework governing all of this is Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 on biocidal products, which establishes the conditions for authorization, marketing and use of these products throughout the EU.

Economic and operational impact

The cancellation of a Union authorization for a biocide family generates direct operational and economic consequences for affected companies:

• Product replacement cost: Companies must identify and approve alternative biocides with current authorization. This process may involve technical evaluation costs, supplier changes and adaptation of internal protocols.
• Inventory management: Current stocks of SICO products are in a situation of legal uncertainty. If Regulation 2026/835 establishes transitional periods for stock depletion, companies will be able to consume them within that timeframe. Otherwise, they may be forced to withdraw or destroy them, with associated costs.
• Sanction risk: The use or marketing of biocides without valid authorization is subject to administrative sanctions in accordance with the national legislation of each Member State implementing Regulation (EU) 528/2012. The specific amounts depend on national legislation.
• Operational disruption: Sectors that depend on these biocides for critical processes (industrial hygiene, water treatment, material preservation) may suffer disruptions if they do not have alternatives identified in advance.

Who does it affect?

This cancellation directly affects all companies in the value chain of products included in the SICO Biocidal Product Family:

• Manufacturers of biocidal products that used Union authorization 2024/2205 to market under the SICO family.
• Distributors that have in stock or in catalog products from the SICO Biocidal Product Family.
• Professional users that employ these biocides in their operational processes, especially in:
  • Industrial hygiene
  • Water treatment
  • Material preservation
  • Pest control
  • Disinfection in professional environments

The impact extends to all EU Member States, as this is a Union authorization (not national).

Practical example

An industrial hygiene services company that uses products from the SICO Biocidal Product Family in its disinfection contracts with industrial clients faces this specific situation as of April 15, 2026:

• The SICO products it has in warehouse no longer have valid Union authorization for professional use.
• If it continues to use them in its services without having verified the existence of a transitional period in Regulation 2026/835, it incurs a breach of Regulation (EU) 528/2012, with risk of administrative sanction under Spanish implementing legislation.
• It must identify alternative authorized biocides for the same product types (for example, product type TP according to Regulation 528/2012) and update its technical sheets, service protocols and contracts with clients if these specify the product used.

This same scenario applies to water treatment or material preservation companies that depend on products from this family for their usual processes.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if they use or distribute products from the SICO Biocidal Product Family. Review the product catalog, technical sheets and supply contracts to identify if any are included in the cancelled authorization (Regulation 2024/2205).
2. Consult the full text of Regulation (EU) 2026/835 to identify if transitional periods have been established for stock depletion. This data is critical for managing current inventory without incurring non-compliance.
3. Identify alternative biocides with current authorization in the ECHA Biocidal Products Registry, ensuring they cover the same types of use (disinfection, preservation, pest control, water treatment).
4. Update internal protocols and technical documentation to reflect the product change: safety sheets, instructions for use, application records and, if applicable, contracts with clients.
5. Communicate the change to the supply chain if the company is a manufacturer or distributor, to prevent customers from continuing to use products without valid authorization.
6. Consult with a specialist advisor in biocide regulations if there is uncertainty about the scope of the cancellation or specific obligations according to the company's role (manufacturer, distributor or professional user).