The present invention relates to a method for determining the migration potential of an at least partially cured energy curing ink and/or varnish printed on a substrate comprising: —providing a substrate, which is printed with the ink and/or varnish, which comprises at least one extractable compound, which absorbs or emits radiation at at least one wavelength between 190 and 3,000 nm, —cutting at least one sample from the printed substrate, placing and incubating the sample in a solvent, in which the extractable compound is soluble, and removing the sample from the solvent to obtain a solvent extract, —quantitatively measuring a spectroscopic characteristic of the solvent extract at at least one wavelength between 190 and 3,000 nm, at which the extractable compound absorbs or emits radiation, so as to obtain a measured numeric value of the spectroscopic characteristic, and —comparing the measured numeric value of the spectroscopic characteristic with a calibration curve.