Brussels, 30/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Consumer's Organisation (Beuc) and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) have undertaken to join forces to make safety the number one priority in EU chemicals policy, all in the interests of public health and sustainable development. The two organisations put their fine words into deeds by getting together in Copenhagen last Friday, to sign the Copenhagen Chemicals Charter. The signing ceremony was held during an international conference organised by three Danish NGOs (the Danish Ecological Council, the Danish Consumer Council and the Danish Society for the Preservation of Nature). The theme of the Charter is « Chemicals under the Spotlight ». The aim is to minimise chemical risks in the EU and to push for better EU legislation so that industry assumes its share of the responsibility in monitoring substances that are hazardous for present and future generations.
Margot Wallström, the European Environment Commissioner, attended the ceremony for launching the « Copenhagen Charter », whose five key demands are:
" I hope the Copenhagen Charter will come to be seen as a breakthrough in bringing chemicals under control. It is worrying that so many products we buy contain chemicals that have never been tested for safety. We want to be able to assure consumers that safety is the top priority. That is why we are 100% behind the Copenhagen Charter", said Anne-Lore Köhne, the Beuc President. Lone Johnsen , EBB President, stressed that: "it is time for the precautionary principle to be applied to chemicals policy and for the burden of proof to be reversed. Chemicals should simply not be allowed on the market unless demonstrated safe beyond reasonable doubt."