In an article published on July 4, 2014 the news provider EurActiv reported that EU wide regulation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) requires a balancing act between an outright ban and very cautious regulation. A European definition and criteria for EDCs was scheduled for the end of 2013 but has since been delayed. Bernd Schäfer from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) states that “many people think that all products on the market are safe, but that is not true”. He points especially to food contact materials and cosmetics. Gerd Romanowski from the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) argues that “the economic damage should not become too large through the regulation of potentially hazardous substances”. Anja Weisgerber from the conservative Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) states in the article that “politicians should orient themselves according to the opinion of the majority in science”. However, a significant problem remains the identification of safe alternatives, Sagener concludes.

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EurActiv (July 4, 2014). “EU seeks uniform regulation of hormonally active substances.

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