(1)

Hydrogen cyanide was included in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) as an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-types 8, 14 and 18. Pursuant to Article 86 of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, it is therefore considered approved under that Regulation subject to the conditions set out in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC.

(2)

The approval of hydrogen cyanide for use in biocidal products of product-types 8, 14 and 18 (‘the approval’) is to expire on 30 September 2024. On 29 March 2023, an application was submitted in accordance with Article 13(1) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 for the renewal of the approval of hydrogen cyanide for use in biocidal products of product-type 8, and on 30 March 2023, applications were submitted for the renewal of the approval of hydrogen cyanide for use in biocidal products of product-types 14 and 18 (‘the applications’).

(3)

On 8 December 2023, the evaluating competent authority of Czech Republic informed the Commission that it had decided, pursuant to Article 14(1) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, that a full evaluation of the applications was necessary. Pursuant to Article 8(1) of that Regulation, the evaluating competent authority is to perform a full evaluation of the application within 365 days of its validation.

(4)

The evaluating competent authority may, as appropriate, require the applicant to provide sufficient data to carry out the evaluation, in accordance with Article 8(2) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012. In that event, the 365-day period is suspended for a period that may not exceed 180 days in total unless a longer suspension is justified by the nature of the data requested or by exceptional circumstances.

(5)

Within 270 days of receipt of a recommendation from the evaluating competent authority, the European Chemicals Agency (‘the Agency’) is to prepare and submit to the Commission an opinion on renewal of the approval of the active substance in accordance with Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012.

(6)

Consequently, for reasons beyond the control of the applicant, the approval is likely to expire before a decision has been taken on its renewal. It is therefore appropriate to postpone the expiry date of the approval for a period of time sufficient to finalise the examination of the applications. Taking into account the time-limits for evaluation by the evaluating competent authority, for preparation and submission by the Agency of its opinions and the time needed for the Commission to decide whether to renew the approval of hydrogen cyanide for use in biocidal products of product-types 8, 14 and 18, the expiry date should be postponed to 31 March 2027.

(7)

After the postponement of the expiry date of the approval, hydrogen cyanide remains approved for use in biocidal products of product-types 8, 14 and 18 subject to the conditions set out in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC,