Regulatory
EC number
Definition
A seven digit identifier (format 123-456-7) used for substances in the European Union.
EC numbers come from three older EU lists: EINECS for substances on the market before 1981 (numbers starting 2 or 3), ELINCS for new substances notified later (starting 4) and the NLP list of no longer polymers (starting 5). ECHA also assigns list numbers starting 6, 7, 8 or 9 for administrative use, which are not official EC numbers.
For example ethanol is EC 200-578-6. EC numbers appear on EU labels, safety data sheets and in REACH registrations, alongside CAS numbers.