In response to an open letter by the Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Tonio Borg replied that the Commission supports the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) definition of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The response states that EFSA’s definition is in agreement with the definition by the World Health Organization (WHO) and therefore internationally accepted. The Commission further rejects PAN Europe’s criticism regarding conflicts of interest of EFSA’s experts.
In the letter submitted April 7, 2013, PAN Europe criticized EFSA’s definition of EDCs (previously reported on by the FPF). According to EFSA’s definition, interferences of chemicals with the endocrine system are not necessarily adverse. Further, PAN Europe argued that EFSA exceeded its mandate when defining EDCs in its Scientific Opinion on the hazard assessment of endocrine disruptors, effectively adding elements to the pesticides law (previously reported on by FPF).
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