The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on October 9, 2025, that at its October 7-8, 2025, meeting, the Member State Committee (MSC) agreed to identify 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) because of its very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties. ECHA states that it plans to add the substance to the Candidate List in November 2025. ECHA notes that “[b]esides the regular obligations following the listing on the Candidate List, the identification of DBDPE as an SVHC will support the potential restriction work on brominated flame retardants.” The MSC also agreed in written procedure on two substance evaluation cases and one dossier evaluation case.