On 4th October, the European
Parliament issued an objection to the Draft Commission regulation amending
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 by setting out scientific criteria for
the determination of endocrine disrupting properties. The European Parliament took issue with the last paragraph of the Draft
Regulation, which allowed for excluding a substance with an intended endocrine
mode of action from being identified as an endocrine disrupter for non-target
organisms. According to the European Parliament, this exception was not based
on scientific criteria as required by the Court; instead, the EU Commission
took into account other criteria such as economic ones, thereby exceeding its
implementing powers.
Endocrine
Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are an exogenous substance or mixture that alters
function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health
effects in an intact organism. They are widely used and can be found in food
and in a variety of consumer products, including toys and cosmetics. Even though
the study of the effects of EDCs is ongoing, there are numerous studies showing
the association between EDCs and human diseases, ranging from reproductive and
endocrine to autoimmune and cardiopulmonary (see e.g. on World Health Organisation's website). Children are particularly vulnerable and their exposure to EDCs is linked to increased
incidences of reproductive diseases, endocrine-related cancers, behavioural and
learning problems amongst others.
Given that EDCs pose
a real threat to the health of consumers and especially children, it is
imperative that they are effectively regulated. The EU is leading the way in regulating
EDCs, as it is in the process of adopting legally binding criteria to determine
what is an endocrine disruptor, something that no country has done so far (see Commission's communication).
When regulating
endocrine disruptors consumers' health and protection
of the environment are the priority rather than the internal market. This was the
message sent by the European Parliament to the EU Commission which now has to
modify and resubmit the Draft Regulation. This development was welcomed also by BEUC, which urged for higher standards in relation to EDCs.
In anticipation of
the EU Commission’s revised Draft Regulation, it is reassuring that its new
direction will be towards a stricter standard for regulation of endocrine
disruptors to the benefit of consumers.
