The European Parliament closed its most recent plenary session before the elections, on Thursday 18 April, with a vote on sanctions against the Commission: according to MEPs, it has clearly not done its job with regard to the regulation of endocrine disrupters, those substances that can interfere with the normal functioning of the hormone system.
MEPs adopted a resolution on progress towards a comprehensive European Union framework for endocrine disrupters. This text, co-written by the main political groups (EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, GUE/NGL, Greens/EFA and EFDD), regrets the lack of ambition of the Commission's latest communication for a 'comprehensive framework' (see EUROPE 12132/1).
"The Juncker Commission has done too little and too late. Its strategic framework lacks concrete actions", explained Socialist MEP Miriam Dalli (Malta). This framework is a "missed opportunity", said MEPs Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium) and Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA, France) during the very early morning debate before the vote.
New deadline: June 2020
Weary, the Members chose to raise their voices. Their non-binding resolution clearly sanctions the Commission's work on endocrine disrupters. They consider that "the EU framework, as proposed by the Commission in its Communication, does not address the threat posed by exposure to endocrine disrupters to human health and the environment and does not meet the requirements of the 7th Environmental Action Programme".
They direct concrete requests to the next Commission: first, they want a cross-cutting definition of endocrine disrupters based on the World Health Organization definition. This definition should cover "known" and "alleged" disruptors, in accordance with the classification of carcinogens, mutagens and substances toxic to reproduction in the Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging (1272/2008). It should also cover "suspected" disrupters, said MEPs (without the support of the EPP group, which considered that this provision went too far).
MEPs then call on the future Commission to review, before June 2020, the Regulations on cosmetics (1223/2009), toy safety (2009/48/EC) and materials and articles intended to come into contact with food (1935/2004) in order to introduce specific provisions for endocrine disrupters.
Finally, they ask the Commission to take into account, in all relevant EU legislation, the effects of mixing and exposure to a combination of endocrine disrupters.
The Commission's line of defence
During the plenary debate, Commissioner Violeta Bulc defended the action of the Juncker Commission and the Commissioner for Health, Vytenis Andriukaitis. "I know that some are disappointed by the fitness check currently being carried out by the Commission, which will be finalised in the first half of 2020. It is not a question of us putting dust under the carpet ('kick the can down the road'). But to have evidence-based legislation", she concluded. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)