Oral question - Chemicals strategy for sustainability - O-000044/2020

On 11 December 2019, the Commission adopted its communication on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)640). The communication announces that, in order to ensure a toxic-free environment, the Commission will present a chemicals strategy for sustainability by summer 2020. The communication states that the strategy will help to protect citizens and the environment better against hazardous chemicals and encourage innovation for the development of safe and sustainable alternatives. Furthermore, the Commission explains that it will review how to use better the EU’s agencies and scientific bodies to move towards a process of ‘one substance – one assessment’ and to provide greater transparency when prioritising action to deal with chemicals. According to the Commission, the regulatory framework will also need to rapidly reflect scientific evidence on the risk posed by endocrine disruptors, hazardous chemicals in products, including imports, combination effects of different chemicals and very persistent chemicals.

While a range of challenges, gaps and weaknesses were identified in EU legislation:

1. What legislative and non-legislative measures does the Commission intend to take under the chemicals strategy for sustainability? In particular, how does the Commission intend to improve the functioning of REACH and to close the regulatory gaps in all EU chemical and relevant sectoral legislation in order to achieve coherence and a high level of protection? How does the Commission intend to address endocrine disruptors, the combination effects of different chemicals and persistent chemicals in order to minimise exposure?

2. What is the timeline for these measures?

3. How will the Commission ensure the global competitiveness of EU industry in the immediate future, as well as in the medium and long term, in the light of the stricter regulations which apply in the EU compared to other regions and countries?

4. How will the Commission ensure Member States’ full compliance?

CONTINUE READING ON www.europarl.europa.eu