Last week, representatives of European member states from the EU pesticides committee adopted the criteria that are supposed to be used to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (or EDCs) in the future.

Following this vote, many EDC-Free campaigners have expressed disappointment. The EDC-Free coalition regrets the insufficiency of the criteria adopted, which will not guarantee the level of protection for human health and the environment that is urgently needed and that scientists and citizens are calling for from across the EU.

Ahead of the vote, three highly respected international scientific societies of endocrinology raised the alarm bell about the shortcomings of the proposed criteria, urging member states not to approve them in their current state. Meanwhile, over 465,000 people all across Europe signed a petition calling on member states to reject the EU Commission’s proposal.

“Strong EDC criteria would allow Europe to lead the world by example and to initiate urgently needed measures to reduce our unnecessary exposure to toxic substances. The criteria voted today contain a flawed loophole and require such a high level of proof that they will not protect people or wildlife. We call on the European Parliament to reject these criteria” says Genon K. Jensen, EDC-Free Europe spokesperson. Read the full reaction here.

EDC-Free Europe campaign partners across Europe criticize the vote on the first ever EDC criteria: