Poison Centres Notification format

Poison Centres Notification format

The Poison Centre Notification (PCN) format structures information on mixtures classified for health or physical hazards in accordance with Article 45 and Annex VIII to the CLP Regulation.

The format is XML-based, compatible with IUCLID, and available in the PCN dossier preparation tools offered by ECHA. It is also available for companies to prepare their own tools for dossier preparation, for example when using the system-to-system service.

The PCN format is updated annually in line with the IUCLID release schedule. The format is made available as a set of XML schema definition files (XSDs). The PCN data model shows all relevant fields and their interconnections.

Donwload the latest version below.

Download PCN format

Version 4
  • Version 4, last updated on 20/05/2022 (0.9 MB, zip).

This latest information package includes:

  • XSD and Word files for the format elements
  • a comparison with version 3.0
  • list of picklist values in Excel format. This list contains valid phrases that can be used in the IUCLID format with the exception of 'non-selectable' ones which are used, for display purposes, in hierarchical phrase groups.
  • a change log to indicate the changes made to the documentation (starting from 20.05.2022)
Version 5
  • Version 5, last updated on 17/07/2023 (0.8 MB, zip).

This information package includes:

  • XSD and Word files for the format elements
  • a comparison with version 4.0
  • list of picklist values in Excel format. This list contains valid phrases that can be used in the IUCLID format with the exception of 'non-selectable' ones which are used, for display purposes, in hierarchical phrase groups
  • a change log to indicate the changes made to the documentation
Version 6 (draft)
  • Version 6 (draft), last updated on 14/03/2024 (2 MB, zip). This version of the PCN format is a preview of the format that will be made available together with IUCLID 6 v8 at the end of April 2024.

This information package includes:

  • XSD and Word files for the format elements
  • a comparison with version 5.0
  • list of picklist values in XML format
  • In preparation, soon available: list of picklist values in Excel format. This list contains valid phrases that can be used in the IUCLID format with the exception of 'non-selectable' ones which are used, for display purposes, in hierarchical phrase groups
  • a change log to indicate the changes made to the documentation

PCN Key support

Key support for IT implementation

The Guide to the PCN Format and the Developers' Guide to the IUCLID Format are available to assist companies to build mechanisms other than IUCLID to generate the PCN format into their own IT systems. 

Please refer to the list of PCN validation rules relevant for poison centres notifications which are incorporated into IUCLID and the ECHA Submission portal for running a series of automated checks.

In IUCLID, the exchange of chemical information is facilitated via a zip/archive file with the extension .i6z (IUCLID 6 zip). The information can be exported from one IUCLID 6 installation and imported into another. This file contains information concerning all (inter)related IUCLID 6 entities (documents and attachments), in a well-defined and structured format.