Manufacturers supplying products that come into contact with drinking water across Europe are preparing for a major regulatory shift, as the new European Union Minimum Health Requirements come into effect on 1 January 2027.
To help industry navigate the transition, NSF has launched a suite of EU-MHR compliance pre-assessment services designed to reduce uncertainty, testing delays and bottlenecks ahead of the deadline.
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What will the new European rules require from industry
The revised European Drinking Water Directive replaces a long list of national requirements with a single, harmonised, risk-based regulation for all 27 EU member states. Every product that comes into contact with drinking water, including pipes, valves, fittings, sealing elements, and pumps, will require independent third-party certification and detailed documentation.
David Platt, NSF’s Director of Water for the EMEA region, said manufacturers were facing several simultaneous challenges.
“Manufacturers face a perfect storm of tight deadlines, limited testing capacity and complex new requirements,” he said. “Our EU-MHR Pre-Assessment Services remove the uncertainty by enabling you to prepare now. It identifies compliance gaps and gives companies a head start to secure Europe-wide market access.”
How NSF’s pre-assessments aim to reduce delays and certification risks
The new program reviews materials, formulations, production processes and quality systems before companies enter formal certification. It includes testing in European laboratories under EU-MHR conditions to give manufacturers greater clarity on their readiness levels.
NSF also developed Protocol 534 to support suppliers of raw materials and intermediate products. The protocol verifies safety and compliance for early-stage inputs, ranging from plastic granulates and colourants to glass fibre mixtures, cementitious additives, and epoxy components. This is intended to reduce downstream compliance risks and accelerate progress toward certification.
Samantha Duffy, Senior Manager of Global Water Programs for the EU and UK, said the scale of regulatory change made early action essential. “The transition from fragmented national schemes to harmonised EU standards represents the biggest regulatory change in European water safety in decades,” she said. “Early preparation is key. Companies that start their compliance journey now will maintain a competitive advantage while others face potential delays and market exclusion.”
Why early EU-MHR compliance matters for global manufacturers
For many organisations, access to the European market will depend on how quickly they can demonstrate compliance once the rules take effect. Testing capacity across Europe is expected to be limited in the first year of the regime, increasing the risk of delays.
Platt said the rise in enquiries was clear. “We are seeing unprecedented demand from manufacturers who recognise that early compliance preparation translates directly to competitive advantage,” he said. “The companies that engage with our pre-assessment services now will be first to market when regulations take effect.”
More information is available on NSF’s EU-MHR Pre-Assessment Services page.