NSF Launches Pre-Assessment Services to Help Manufacturers Meet EU-MHR Compliance Deadlines
BRUSSELS, Belgium – On December 3rd, 2025, NSF, a global leader in public health and safety standards, announced the launch of its Pre-Assessment Services to assist manufacturers in meeting the upcoming European Union’s (EU) drinking water regulations. These regulations, known as the Minimum Health Requirements (MHR), are set to take effect on January 1st, 2027.
The new service aims to address concerns within the industry regarding certification delays, testing bottlenecks, and the complexity of the revised European Drinking Water Directive (DWD). This directive will replace national schemes in all 27 EU member states, making compliance a top priority for manufacturers.
David Platt, the Director of Water, EMEA at NSF, stated, “While EU-MHR will significantly impact the entire European water supply chain, manufacturers are facing a combination of tight deadlines, limited testing capacity, and new requirements. Our EU-MHR Pre-Assessment Services eliminate uncertainty by allowing companies to prepare for EU-MHR now. It identifies compliance gaps and gives them a head start to secure market access across Europe.”
The Pre-Assessment Services will evaluate technical information on materials and formulations, assess production facilities and quality systems, and conduct testing in European laboratories under EU-MHR conditions. This will provide manufacturers of all final products that come into contact with drinking water, such as pipes, valves, fittings, gaskets, and pumps, the opportunity to ensure compliance before formal certification begins.
In anticipation of the upcoming regulations, NSF has developed Protocol 534 (P534) to assist suppliers of raw materials and intermediate products in European markets. P534 allows manufacturers to verify material safety and compliance at the early stages of production, reducing downstream risk and expediting readiness for EU-MHR requirements.
P534 covers a wide range of pre-products, including plastic granulates, formulation ingredients, such as colorants, solvents, fillers, stabilizers, and antioxidants, as well as complex mixtures like glass fiber, sizing agents, and masterbatches. It also evaluates intermediate products, such as ingredients for cementitious materials and coating hardeners, and site-applied products, including coatings and epoxy resins.
According to Samantha Duffy, Senior Manager of Global Water Programs, EU & UK, at NSF, “The shift from fragmented national schemes to harmonized EU standards represents the most significant regulatory change in European water safety in decades, and it affects thousands of manufacturers. Early preparation is crucial, and companies that start their compliance journey now will maintain a competitive advantage while others may face potential delays and market exclusion.”
The new EU-MHR regulation replaces all national standards across Europe, such as France’s ACS certification and Germany’s UBA guidelines, with a single unified risk-based standard. Compliance now requires independent third-party certification, regular facility audits, and detailed documentation for all products that come into contact with drinking water, which is a significant departure from previous national schemes.
Platt added, “We are experiencing an unprecedented demand from manufacturers who recognize that early compliance preparation translates directly to a competitive advantage. The companies that engage with our pre-assessment services now will be the first to market when the regulations take effect.”
NSF invites companies interested in gaining European market access to contact them to begin the pre-assessment process. To schedule an EU-MHR pre-assessment or to learn how P534 can support your supply chain, please visit NSF’s EU-MHR Pre-Assessment Services page.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.