On Monday 4 September, the European Commission published the list of criteria for identifying biocidal products that may be considered endocrine disruptors.
Publication in the Official Journal of the EU begins the countdown of the two months during which time member states and the European Parliament may oppose the new provisions.
In June 2016, the Commission brought forward a list of criteria that would make it possible to identify and, ultimately, ban pesticides and biocides deemed to present a danger to the hormonal system (so-called endocrine disruptors). These criteria revolved around two separate and distinct proposals: a draft Commission regulation on pesticides and a draft delegated regulation on biocides. Only the first of these texts required to be put to the vote (which took place on 4 July), but Parliament and the Council were still able to oppose either or both, within three months for pesticides and two months for biocides (see EUROPE 11822).
Opinion of Parliament legal experts soon. The European Parliament’s legal department is due to deliver its opinion on the legality of the provisions on “disruptors by design”, perhaps as early as next week, a source revealed on Monday.
Under the new rules, substances specifically designed to disrupt the endocrine system of various organisms other than vertebrates could be authorised.
The proposed criteria list may be viewed at: http://bit.ly/2x5qEjS (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)