As many U.S. companies struggle to meet the conflict minerals reporting requirements imposed by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the European Parliament voted to require EU importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold and downstream users to be certified that they also do not fuel conflicts and human rights abuses in conflict areas.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended that the European Commission reconsider the specific migration limit (SML) for zinc based on consumer exposure from sources other than food-contact materials. This recommendation was made by the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF Panel) as part of a scientific opinion on nano forms of zinc oxide for food-contact.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program (NTP) issued notice of a public meeting being held on July 22, 2015 on the peer review of a Draft Report on Carcinogens (RoC) Monograph on Cobalt and Certain Cobalt Compounds. Cobalt was selected as a candidate substance for listing in the RoC following solicitation of public comment, and NTP approved the selection in 2014.