The Council adopted a regulation following an agreement with the European Parliament in order to restrict the use of phosphates and other phosphorus compounds in consumer laundry and automatic dishwasher detergents in order to reduce the level of phosphorus poured into the waters. In addition to domestic detergents, the scope of the regulation also includes detergents used in public laundrettes.

Reducing the level of phosphorus poured into the European waters is the main target of the new regulation adopted by the Council which restricts the use of phosphates and other phosphorus compounds in consumer laundry and automatic dishwasher detergents. The proposal was presented by the Commission in November 2010. Phosphates and other phosphorous compounds are used in detergents to reduce water hardness and allow detergents to perform efficiently. However, they can damage the aquatic environment and disturb the ecological balance by increasing the proliferation of algae, a phenomenon called eutrophication, a phenomenon currently monitored under the "water framework directive".

The limit value for consumer laundry detergents is set at 0.5 grams of phosphorus per washing process in a standard washing machine, and it will be applicable as from 30 June 2013. The limit value for consumer automatic dishwasher detergents is set at 0.3 grams ofphosphorus in a standard dosage, and it will be applicable as from 1 January 2017.

The new regulation will also improve the free movement of detergents in the internal market by harmonising existing different national rules concerning their phosphate content. It will also modify regulation 648/2004, which harmonised the labelling of detergents and the biodegradability of certain substances they contain.