• European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA)
• Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries (FEC)
• European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA)
• The Fluoropolymers Product Group (part of Plastics Europe)
• Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
• European Association of Chemical Distributors (FECC)
• ZVEI (the Electro and Digital Industry Association)
• Orgalim
INDUSTRY
• BASF
• Karl Storz
• KP Films
• Mérieux NutriSciences
Summit EUROPE
14–15 May 2025
NH Carrefour de L'Europe | Brussels, Belgium
Finding solutions to the legal, regulatory, and compliance ambiguities of forever chemicals
‘FIRESIDE CHATS’ WITH:
Kristin Schreiber Director
European Commission DG GROW Thijs de Kort Deputy Head of Bureau REACH RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) Dr. Frauke Averbeck Scientific Officer Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Federal Office for Chemicals, Germany
Conference Highlights:
ą The Latest Status of the Proposed Restriction Dossier: Anticipate legal and regulatory repercussions for key industries
ą Global Regulatory Insights: Compare PFAS regulation across the U.S., UK, and Australia
ą Litigation Case Studies and Risk Assessment: Examine key cases and prepare for an anticipated wave of new PFAS litigation across Europe
ą Innovative Substitution: Explore sustainable PFAS alternatives that balance performance and regulatory demands
ą Sector-Specific Lessons: Learn how key industries are preparing for a potential PFAS ban
ą Scientific Insights: Stay up to date on cutting-edge methods to analyse PFAS and tailor science-based regulatory responses
ą Derogation Pathways: Understand exemption criteria under ECHA’s proposal
C5’s
upcoming PFAS Summit Europe (14–15 May 2025, in Brussels) comes at a pivotal moment as Europe confronts sweeping regulatory challenges and ambiguities surrounding PFAS chemicals, often termed “forever chemicals.”
With the EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposing an all-encompassing PFAS restriction under the REACH regulation and the seating of a new European Parliament, the EU's President has stressed the need for clarity and consistency in PFAS regulation and chemical safety policies.
Attend C5's PFAS Summit - Europe to make sense of this volatile and evolving environment. Our speakers will delve into ECHA’s proposal, highlighting key derogations, cross-industry preparedness, and lessons from international PFAS approaches. Industry leaders from the automotive, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries amongst others, will discuss how to adapt to restrictions. We will also examine scientific advancements in PFAS detection and risk assessment that underscore the need for nuanced regulatory strategies.
As PFAS restrictions challenge high-performance sectors, we will look at the balance between innovation and compliance, essential-use definitions, and the risks of “regrettable substitution.”
We will examine the growing risk of PFAS litigation through case studies of existing lawsuits and settlements. We will also focus on new threats under the EU’s new Products Liability directive, other class action mechanisms in Europe, and the rise of third-party funders
Finally, our program closes with a forward look at potential shifts in EU policy, regulatory impacts on supply chains, and how companies may respond to this evolving landscape.
Join us to strategize, explore alternatives, and prepare for the anticipated changes in the EU's PFAS policy, and new legal and regulatory frameworks.
This summit is your opportunity to prepare for what lies ahead, actively engage in the regulatory dialogue, and advocate for your industry’s specific needs.
We look forward to seeing you in Brussels this May!
Advisory Board
Ales Bartl Partner Keller & Heckman LLP
Ruxandra Cana Partner Steptoe LLP
Preslava Dilkova
Cándido
Distinguished Faculty
CO-CHAIRS:
Claudio Mereu Partner Fieldfisher
Pavlina Chopova-Leprêtre Partner
Mayer Brown Europe-Brussels LLP
GOVERNMENTS INSIGHTS:
Kristin Schreiber Director European Commission DG GROW
Thijs de Kort
Deputy Head of Bureau REACH RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
Dr. Frauke Averbeck
Scientific Officer Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Federal Office for Chemicals, Germany
SPEAKERS:
Martin Ahlhaus Partner Produkt Kanzlei
Bruno Ameduri Director of Research National Center for Scientific Research, Charles Gerhardt Institute
Ales Bartl Partner Keller & Heckman LLP
Paul Blondeau Member The Fluoropolymers Product Group
Olivier Brault President
Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries (FEC)
Ruxandra Cana Partner
Steptoe
David Carlander Director, PhD, Chemicals RPA (Risk and Policy Analysts)
Elisa Consoli
REACH & Chemicals Manager The Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
Jonathan Crozier
Senior Manager - Chemicals Policy and Environmental Policy BASF
Thomas Delille Partner
Squire Patton Boggs
Preslava Dilkova Partner Jones Day
Dr. Pierre Germain Technical and Regulatory Affairs Manager European Association of Chemical Distributors (FECC)
Pavel Glukhov Partner EU Focus Group
Frank P. M. Kark President HPC INTERNATIONAL SAS / France
Scientific Director Groupe HPC AG International
Caroline May
EMEA Head of Environment, Health & Safety, Partner, Sustainability Partner and Co-head ESG EMEA
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Kirsten Metz
Senior Manager Chemicals and Environmental Policy
ZVEI e. V. (Electro and Digital Industry Association)
Cándido García Molyneux Of Counsel Covington & Burling LLP
Patricia Muñoz FluoroProducts and PFAS for Europe (FPP4EU), Sector Group Manager Cefic
Dirk Nuyens
Senior Partner & Global Account Director ERM
Jonathan Pantanowitz
EMEA Commercial Director
Advanced Performance Materials The Chemours Company
Dr. Marc Ruttloff Partner
Gleiss Lutz
René Schröder Director General European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA)
Cindy Vandecasteele Senior Environmental Policy Manager European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA)
Arthur Vandenberghe
Sustainability Policy Officer, FIM and Chair Orgalim
DAY ONE
Wednesday, 14 May 2025
7:30 Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration
8:45 Co-Chairs’ Welcome Remarks
Claudio Mereu Partner Fieldfisher
9:00 PFAS and the EU’s Green Deal — Navigating Towards Climate Neutrality by 2025
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.
Martin Ahlhaus Partner Produkt Kanzlei
Dr. Marc Ruttloff Partner Gleiss Lutz
9:45 The Future of the Proposed PFAS Restriction Dossier: New EU Policy Shifts and Regulatory Impacts
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
10:30 Morning Networking Coffee Break
EARN CLE CREDITS
Accreditation will be sought in those jurisdictions requested by the registrants which have continuing education requirements. This course is identified as nontransitional for the purposes of CLE accreditation.
ACI certifies this activity has been approved for CLE credit by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board.
Ales Bartl Partner Keller & Heckman LLP
Pavel Glukhov Partner EU Focus Group
Kirsten Metz Senior Manager Chemicals and Environmental Policy ZVEI e. V. (Electro and Digital Industry Association)
ACI certifies this activity has been approved for CLE credit by the State Bar of California.
ACI has a dedicated team which processes requests for state approval. Please note that event accreditation varies by state and ACI will make every effort to process your request.
For more information on ACI’s CLE process, visit: www.AmericanConference.com/Accreditation/CLE
11:00 Seeking and Understanding Derogations for PFAS, under ECHA’s Proposal
and Member State Provisions
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 11:45
Thijs de Kort
Deputy Head of Bureau REACH RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
Claudio Mereu Partner Fieldfisher
Cándido García Molyneux Of Counsel
Covington & Burling LLP
Olivier Brault President
Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Housewares Industries (FEC)
Dr. Frauke Averbeck Scientific Officer
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Federal Office for Chemicals, Germany
Roundtable: Lessons from Key Sectors on PFAS Ban Preparedness
Join thought leaders from diverse industries, semiconductors to automotive and electronics—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:
» Automotive
» Electronic
» Semiconductors
• Exploring the impact of PFAS restrictions in industries like electronics and refrigeration, which have also been affected by the complexities of the FGAS regulation
René Schröder Director General
European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA)
European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA)
Arthur Vandenberghe Sustainability Policy Officer, FIM and Chair Orgalim
14:00
Kristin Schreiber Director
European
Commission DG GROW
Fireside Chat
14:30 Afternoon Break
15:00 Fluoropolymers in Focus: A Case Study on Industry Applications, Regulatory Frameworks, and Compliance Challenges
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
Bruno Ameduri Director of Research
National Center for Scientific Research, Charles Gerhardt Institute
Paul Blondeau
Member
The Fluoropolymers Product Group
Jonathan Pantanowitz
EMEA Commercial Director Advanced
Performance Materials
The Chemours Company
16:00 The PFAS Puzzle: Innovation, Substitution, Essential Use, and the Road Ahead
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”?
Jonathan Crozier
Senior Manager - Chemicals Policy and Environmental Policy BASF
Elisa Consoli
REACH & Chemicals Manager
The Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
Dr. Pierre Germain
Technical and Regulatory Affairs Manager
European Association of Chemical Distributors (FECC)
Patricia Muñoz
FluoroProducts and PFAS for Europe (FPP4EU), Sector Group Manager Cefic
MODERATOR:
Claudio Mereu Partner
Fieldfisher
16:45 Closing Remarks — Conference Adjourns
TWO
Pavlina Chopova-Leprêtre
Partner
Mayer Brown Europe-Brussels LLP
9:30 International Perspectives on PFAS Regulation: U.S., UK, Australia Approaches
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
Caroline May EMEA Head of Environment, Health & Safety, Partner, Sustainability Partner and Co-head ESG EMEA
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Focus on Litigation
Regulatory and Remedial Challenges:
• Europe is experiencing a significant increase in PFAS-related issues, prompting evolving regulatory frameworks at both country and EU levels
• Remediation of PFAS-contaminated water and soils is complex and depends on the specific PFAS compounds present
Case Study – Belgium:
• A significant case involved a PFAS manufacturing site in Belgium, which required extensive environmental assessments and risk evaluations over a large area
Economic and Environmental Impact:
David Carlander Director, PhD, Chemicals RPA (Risk and Policy Analysts)
Dirk Nuyens
Senior Partner & Global Account Director ERM
• Managing PFAS environmental liabilities will be costly, with significant societal and economic impacts
• Sustainable and proportional management of PFAS legacy is essential, including cost-effective remedial solutions and addressing risks to the circular economy
11:30 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.
12:15 Networking Lunch
Ruxandra Cana
Partner
Steptoe
Nathalie Smyth
Partner
Kennedys Law
13:15 Scientific Insights into PFAS Detection, Risk, and Environmental Impact
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
14:00
Anticipating The
Future Outlook
Frank P. M. Kark
President
HPC INTERNATIONAL SAS / France
Scientific Director
Groupe HPC AG International
Stefano Scomparin
Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Mérieux NutriSciences
of The EU PFAS REACH Restriction Proposal
This session will explore how the EU PFAS restriction proposal will be considered in the course of the Commission’s new mandate manifested by a shift of approach from a Green Deal focus to boosting competitiveness and simplification.
• Explaining in a broad-brush way how the current change in the policy objectives of the Commission may affect the future of the broad PFAS restriction, as well as other potential new initiatives; highlighting the importance of the present momentum for companies, following a period of intense regulatory activity
• Addressing the views of key stakeholders in the Council (including individual Member States), and main political groups in the European Parliament in consideration of the visible shifts in dynamics within the two institutions
• Presenting the views of the newly designated Commission in relation to the broader axis of the EU chemicals legislation, i.e., the possible implications of the ongoing REACH revision and the intention of the Commission to provide “clarity” in relation to PFAS as announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines
• Discussing whether the REACH reform has not actually already been introduced through the “back door” of the REACH PFAS restriction proposal
14:45
Thomas Delille
Partner
Squire Patton Boggs
Preslava Dilkova
Partner
Jones Day
Upcoming Events
March
New
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May 29–30, 2025
New York, NY
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