What happened
The European Commission adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2150, allowing Czechia to grant national authorisations for biocidal products containing ethylene oxide when they are used to protect cultural heritage. The permission expires on 31 July 2031.
The measure concerns product-type 2 biocides, which covers disinfectants and algaecides not applied directly to people or animals. Czechia sought the derogation on 5 February 2026 under the EU biocidal-products framework.
The Commission concluded that ethylene oxide is necessary for Czech cultural-heritage artefacts and that appropriate replacement methods are not currently available. The decision identifies archive holdings, library collections, museum objects, and photographic and film heritage among the materials concerned.
Why it matters
The decision creates a time-limited national route for Czechia to permit a substance that was not approved for product-type 2 biocidal uses at EU level. It does not create a general EU-wide authorisation.
For organisations preserving cultural collections, the ruling maintains access in Czechia to fumigation treatment for materials vulnerable to bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. The Commission recorded that other approaches may be less effective, may not penetrate large objects sufficiently, or may harm treated materials.
The evidence submitted by Czechia describes use only by trained staff in purpose-built facilities. The process includes post-treatment aeration, monitoring of remaining gas and equipment intended to prevent releases to the atmosphere.
Background
An application to approve ethylene oxide for product-type 2 was submitted in December 2009. In June 2025, the Commission decided not to approve the substance for that use after finding that the representative product in the application fell outside the scope of the relevant regulation.
What's next
Czechia can authorise the specified products for cultural-heritage protection until 31 July 2031. The Commission adopted the decision on 25 September 2026.
