Council urges Commission to take effective measures for Chemicals Strategy implementation
Today, on the fourth anniversary of the European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS), EU environment ministers met at the Council of the European Union to review the progress the Commission has made in implementing the Strategy. The meeting takes place just ahead of European Parliament hearings for Commissioner candidates, scheduled from 4 to 12 November.
Environment ministers today expressed their support for the CSS as a key part of the EU Green Deal. Large delegations asked the European Commission to accelerate its efforts to fulfil existing commitments and implement necessary measures. They highlighted the revision of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as a top priority and an essential step toward achieving the CSS objectives as well as the restriction of PFAS—forever chemicals. The delegations also stressed the need for an export ban of highly hazardous chemicals that are already banned in Europe and highlighted the need to strengthen the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
“It has been four years since the Commission promised to address dangerous pollution, yet every day of inaction prolongs exposure to toxic substances. Millions of babies are being born “pre-polluted” by unregulated chemicals, and countless people are falling ill or dying prematurely as a result. This failure to act in a timely manner shows a serious lack of public responsibility. We’ve already witnessed the devastating consequences of delayed bans, as with PFAS chemicals, where decades of inaction allowed pollution to escalate, leading to unaffordable costs for society for the generations to come” said Tatiana Santos, Head of Chemicals Policy at the EEB.
In October 2020, the European Commission adopted the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) as a key step towards achieving a zero-pollution, toxic-free environment. The strategy promised stricter regulations on harmful chemicals and limiting the use of forever chemicals, PFAS, to essential uses. It also aimed to stop the export of EU banned chemicals to less developed countries and overhaul the EU’s REACH regulation to control entire chemical families instead of tackling substances one by one. However, four years later, despite strong support from both Parliament and the Council for the Chemicals Strategy, the Commission has dragged its feet, with little progress on key measures.
“The European Commission seems to have forgotten its core mission to safeguard citizens and ensure a sustainable future for the EU. Delivering on the promises of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and striving for a toxic-free future, will foster innovation in safer alternatives and enhance competitiveness. However, competitiveness must never come at the expense of people’s health and safety” concludes Santos.
CONTEXT
The Council Conclusions in June 2024 emphasised that “the Commission has not fully delivered on the Chemicals Strategy, notably the revision of the REACH regulation”, urging immediate action on PFAS and the broader chemicals agenda “to continue its efforts towards a sustainable, competitive, and resilient EU industry and a toxic-free environment”, recognising the high potential of the CSS to drive competitiveness and innovation. Moreover, the Council’s strategic agenda, published in July, outlines the EU’s priorities and strategic orientations for the current institutional cycle, guiding the work of EU institutions. It recognises that “our natural environment is facing increasing damage from climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution”.
Disregarding these calls, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, made no mention of the Chemicals Strategy, pollution or its impact on health in her political guidelines for the next five years. Although the plan includes a commitment to simplify the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), and to “bring clarity” regarding forever chemicals, PFAS, it frames these efforts within a chemicals industry package, aimed at sustainable competitiveness. This approach lacks a focus on protecting citizens from harmful substances.
A report published by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) in April 2024, ‘From Risk to Resilience: Navigating Towards a Toxic-Free Future’, highlights that the EU is failing in its commitment to reduce hazardous chemical exposure. The findings are stark:
- Minimal Progress: only one out of 13 benchmarks outlined in the EU Chemical Strategy has been fully met with the intended ambition.
- Unmet promises: The REACH reform is frozen, the exports ban for chemicals not allowed in Europe remains unimplemented, and key actions under the PFAS Action Plan are still pending.
Today, civil society representatives sent a letter to the Environment Council and the European Commission, expressing serious concerns about the recently published Draghi report. The letter highlights the report’s lack of consultation and the inaccuracy, imprecision, and insufficient justification of several key statements regarding chemical pollution. These unsupported claims undermine the report’s credibility and its ability to serve as a reliable foundation for the Commission’s future work on chemicals policy.
CONTACTS
- EEB Communications Officer for Chemicals, Beatriz Ortiz Martínez, beatriz.ortiz-martinez@eeb.org (ES/EN/FR)
- EEB Head of Chemicals Policy, Tatiana Santos, tatiana.santos@eeb.org (ES/EN/FR)
- EEB Policy Manager for Chemicals, Dolores Romano, dolores.romano@eeb.org (ES/EN)