FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2017
Strasbourg – Today, the EU Parliament rejected the illegal criteria proposed by the EU Commission to identify endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in the Pesticides Regulation by a 389 to 235 majority vote.
The proposed EDC criteria contained a dangerous exemption that would allow endocrine disrupting pesticides, despite an existing full ban on all EDCs. Last week, legal analyses by CIEL and ClientEarth found this exemption to be unlawful and advised the Parliament to vote against the criteria.
In its vote today, EU Parliament defended the rule of law and protected human health and the environment in the EU.
“Today, MEPs refused to be complicit in the Commission’s attempt to break the law and stood up for our health in defiance of a powerful pesticide industry lobby,” says Giulia Carlini, Staff Attorney at CIEL. “Hopefully, the Commission will finally get the message and present legally sound scientific criteria to identify EDCs. It is also an opportunity for the Commission to present criteria applicable across sectors of EU law, such as cosmetics, toys, and food contact materials as mandated in the 7th Environment Action Program.”
