In an article published on March 7, 2019 by regulatory news provider Chemical Watch, reporter Caterina Tani informed that the EU environmental ministers have urged the European Commission (EC) to “speed up initiatives to handle endocrine disruptors and provide a concrete timetable for action.” This opinion was voiced during the EU Environment Council meeting held on March 5, 2019 in Brussels (FPF reported) to discuss the EU’s strategy on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) released in November 2018 (FPF reported).
Denmark’s environment minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said that the EU strategy framework presented by the EC is “unambitious and not sufficient.” He requested “clear action” and an “early implementation date” from the EC’s side. Denmark’s claims were supported by at least six further member states, i.e. “Belgium, France, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden.”
The ministers also “raised concerns about the lack of specific provisions and identification criteria for EDCs [such as those existing for pesticides and biocides] in legislation regarding toys, cosmetics and food contact materials.” Stientje Van Veldhoven, Dutch infrastructure and water management Secretary of State, suggested that “EDCs should be banned ‘automatically’ from these products in the same way carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) substances are prohibited.” Further, France stressed “the need to strengthen the approach towards cocktail effects,” as has been elaborated in its own national strategy on EDCs (FPF reported).
In response, the EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella confirmed the EC’s commitment to further work on EU EDC strategy and said that “many different bodies . . have been dealing with the subject and now they have to start working on the different actions.” Vella also said that by early next year, an allocated €50 million fund will be distributed to support further research on the issue.
The concrete next steps by the EC also include “launch[ing] a fitness check of relevant EU laws addressing EDCs and a public consultation,” Tani informed.
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Caterina Tani (March 7, 2019). “EU ministers push Commission to speed up EDC strategy.” Chemical Watch
