Article 95 on Chlorine Dioxide Explained in Simple Terms
Anyone delving deeper into chlorine dioxide will sooner or later come across the term Article 95. It appears in forums, discussions, and legal classifications. However, it often remains unclear what exactly it means. For many, Article 95 sounds like a ban or restriction, although this is not the case.
Article 95 is not a blanket ban and is not directly aimed at consumers. It is part of a European regulatory framework designed to organize, regulate, and monitor the market.
What is behind Article 95?
The background of Article 95 lies in the European Biocidal Products Regulation. The aim is to regulate the market for biocides and chemicals. The substances covered by it have been subject to strict regulations since 2015. Accordingly, a biocidal product, in this case, chlorine dioxide as a ready-to-use solution, consisting of, containing, or generating a substance listed, may only be marketed (i.e., sold) if the substance manufacturer/supplier or the biocidal product manufacturer/supplier is listed for the corresponding product type.
Article 95 thus does not regulate the purchase by end customers, but rather the conditions under which certain active substances and products may be made available on the market and, above all, by whom they may be made available.
A manufacturer must register with ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) for listing under Article 95. This involves years of auditing production facilities, employees, production methods and resources, as well as raw materials, and incredibly detailed dossiers are prepared and submitted. This process is not only time- and resource-intensive but also a huge investment for the respective manufacturer, thus demonstrating professionalism, seriousness, commitment, and an enormously high sense of responsibility towards themselves and their customers in many respects.
Our CDL2go is exclusively manufactured for us by the only EU-wide approved manufacturer of ready-to-use chlorine dioxide products for private end-users.
Why the term causes uncertainty
For outsiders, Article 95 often seems abstract. The term appears without explanation and is quickly equated with restrictions. In reality, it describes a regulatory framework primarily relevant to businesses.
Consumers indirectly feel the effects. The market shrinks because not everyone wants to bear the organizational and legal burden. At the same time, the remaining market becomes more structured.
When Article 95 became practically relevant
Article 95 is not a new instrument. The requirements have been known for many years, specifically since 2015, and have been gradually implemented as binding. There has been little, if any, abrupt market change, as suppliers and manufacturers first had to be licensed and approved for the Article 95 list before the rules could be practically implemented. This process took many years, so a enforceable structure only existed from the end of 2025. This explains why the market has not only changed abruptly but also over several years. However, there are now noticeable upheavals in the market.
What Article 95 does not mean
Article 95 is not a guide for consumers to check lists themselves or understand legal details. For buyers, it is usually not sensible to delve into the formal background in detail.
More important is an understanding of why the market has changed and why offers appear differently today than before.
Classification in today's market
Today's market is more structured and demands conscious communication. Brands that have adapted to the current framework often refrain from oversimplified statements and instead focus on explanatory context.
CDL2go also emerged from a long observation of these developments and has been guided by today's regulatory and communicative framework from the outset. This is demonstrated not by loud promises, but by a sober classification.
Why this understanding is important
Anyone who correctly classifies Article 95 recognizes that it is not about prohibitions, but about responsibility and clear competitive conditions. Away from the intransparency of many small, opaque providers, who disappeared as quickly as they appeared on the market - towards stable & reliable providers who build trust!
The next article will build on this and explain why these developments particularly affect the private customer market.
This is the 2nd part of our 4-part contribution, which deals with the topic of chlorine dioxide ready-to-use solutions and in which we try to unravel the current events and changes in this product segment and niche for you in an understandable yet detailed way. Please also read the following 2 articles in this small series carefully and contact us if you have any further questions.
As always, we thank you for your time & trust,
the meinVitalium team :-)
