The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a renewed SME hub on its website, designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises comply with their obligations under EU chemicals legislation. Supporting SMEs is one of the Agency’s core missions.
The new SME hub (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) brings together tools and materials developed both by Member States and by ECHA itself, and includes a pilot of an AI-based virtual assistant. These resources were presented on 11 November 2025 at the SME Assembly, held in Copenhagen during EU SME Week.
Mercedes Viñas, ECHA’s Director of Submissions and Interaction, highlighted that the Agency’s strategy focuses on providing tools and support to SMEs to help them comply with EU chemicals legislation. She explained that, after meeting with SMEs and industry representatives to better understand their needs, ECHA is now able to respond more effectively to their concerns. She added that the Agency will continue working with SMEs to develop new tools and activities, as their competitiveness is essential for the European economy.
In addition, ECHA is piloting various uses of artificial intelligence to enhance the assistance it provides to SMEs. Key initiatives launched include:
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A webinar for SMEs held on 22 October, featuring AI-generated translations.
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A 24/7 virtual assistant available in all EU languages, helping companies find reliable information about their obligations. The assistant is powered by publicly available ECHA content, such as FAQs and informational material from its websites.
During this pilot, ECHA will analyse the questions submitted, the responses provided, and user experience in order to further optimise the tool. You can consult the full press release at the following link.