S&Ds say: EU Commission wake up! Endocrine disruptors must be regulated to protect citizens’ health
Date
18 Apr 2019
Sections
Health & Consumers
Today, the European Parliament has once again stood up for citizens’ health and the environment. In the motion for resolution approved in plenary, we have launched a clear message to the European Commission: it is no longer acceptable letting citizens be exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals - substances found in daily life products such as food packaging, clothing, cosmetics, children's toys and crops grown with certain pesticides.
The S&D Group has always been at the forefront in the fight against these dangerous substances, urging the Commission to provide a legal framework guaranteeing a horizontal protection since 2013.
The inaction at the European level risks leading to a fragmented and widely diversified situation in the EU where different national standards apply and the exposure to endocrine disruptors can vary from one country to another. We must have a European framework ensuring that EU citizens are fully protected against these chemicals and the European producers can rely on coherent and common standards.
S&D spokesperson on health and environment, Miriam Dalli MEP, said:
“This is about people's right to live their daily lives in a non-toxic environment. For us, it is completely unacceptable that citizens continue to be exposed to endocrine disruptors in daily products such as toys, cosmetics or food contact materials.
“We demand swift action and will not rest until the Commission provides a legal framework guaranteeing a horizontal protection against these chemicals.”
S&D spokesperson on endocrine disruptors, Jytte Guteland MEP, said:
“Europe cannot afford to gamble with people's health. While individual member states are taking action, rules at European level are lagging behind.
“It is high time that the Commission delivers a solid legal framework that offers a full proof protection for all European citizens and the environment against known and suspected endocrine disruptors.”