On 17 November, a crucial court hearing against the EU Commission took place. The EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg heard Sweden's case against the Commission for failing to fulfill its legal obligations regarding EDCs.
Sweden’s anger erupted after the EU Commission missed its legal deadline to put forward criteria to identify EDCs by the end of 2013. The case is supported by the EU Council of governments, which is considered to be the highest political body of the EU. The European Parliament and three governments are individually backing Sweden. They are Denmark, France and the Netherlands.
The EU Commission is currently conducting an impact assessment partly prompted by intensive lobbying by the chemicals and pesticide industry. This is expected to delay the setting EU criteria for defining EDCs until 2017 at the earliest.
Press reactions from EDC-Free Europe campaign partners and supporters
- Chem Sec: EU court hearing on Commission delay regarding EDC criteria
- HEAL: EU court hearing puts spotlight on Commission delay over EDCs
- PAN Germany: EU-Kommission wegen Säumigkeit bei hormonell wirksamen Chemikalien vor Gericht
- WEMOS, Netherlands: Europese Commissie voor de rechter vanwege het uitblijven van maatregelen tegen hormoonverstorende stoffen
- Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF), France: Project Nesting: Perturbateurs endocriniens: le débat continue (FR)
Media coverage:
EU
- 'When is a deadline not a deadline', POLITICO Pro Morning Health Care (subscription only)
- EU court hears arguments in case over EDC criteria delay, Chemical Watch, 19 November 2015 (subscription only)
- EDCs: Sweden vs. European Commission, Food Packaging Forum, 23 November 2015
Belgium
- Gezinsbond: Europese Commissie voor Europees Hof van Justitie gedaagd vanwege het uitblijven van criteria voor hormoonverstoorders, Politics.be, 20 November 2015
France
- Perturbateurs endocriniens: la Commission européenne devant la justice, Journal de l’environnement, France, 19 November 2015
EDC-Free Europe meets with MEPs
A week ahead of the EU Court case, over 20 EDC-Free Europe campaign partners and supporters met with several MEPs to raise awareness about EDCs and the need for urgent EU action. A group meeting was organised between the coalition and MEP Michele Rivasi.
