Pesticides: criteria for endocrine disruption

6.3.2014

Question for written answer E-002681-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE)

In 2009, Commission departments agreed that DG ENV had the lead on criteria. DG ENV worked for several years with expert groups led by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and stakeholder groups, and finally drafted criteria in early 2013. Then the Secretary-General stopped the process and sidelined DG ENV, after a massive lobby by the pesticide industry. Now an impact analysis needs to be performed. The deadline has been disregarded. In 2012, SANCO mandated the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) to draft criteria without involving DG ENV. Next, DG SANCO collaborated with other DGs on the need to perform an impact assessment.

1. Why did the Commission disregard the deadline of December 2013?

2. Why did the Secretary-General intervene at such a late stage (when he knew very well what DG ENV was doing)?

3. Which EU agency or body (the EFSA, the JRC, the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER), etc.) should be carrying out a scientific assessment of the criteria?

4. Where does the text of the pesticide regulation on endocrines mention economic impact as an element for establishing criteria?

5. How many times did the Commission departments meet industry representatives regarding endocrines? Do transparent minutes of these meetings exist?

6. Why did the Commission not involve independent scientists in drawing up the criteria (the Endocrine Society has 40 000 endocrinologists amongst its members)?

7. How many pesticides will be banned because of the interim criteria on endocrines?

OJ C 355, 08/10/2014