The new President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has placed the protection of citizens’ health and the environment at the core of her political term, including protection of citizens’ health from endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
“Europe must lead the transition to a healthy planet”, she writes in her political guidelines and agenda for Europe. “European citizens’ health and the planet’s health go together: it is the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the safety of the products we use”.
Earlier today, van der Leyen presented her team and the new structure of the next European Commission. As a next step, the European Parliament has to give its consent to the entire team of Commissioners that have been put forward.
The EDC-Free Europe coalition is looking forward to working with this new Commission and all decision-makers to turn these announcements about a healthy planet into reality. With the view to “move towards a zero-pollution ambition”, President von der Leyen has indicated she is committed to put forward a cross-cutting strategy to protect citizens’ health from environmental degradation and pollution, addressing endocrine disrupters, pesticides, hazardous chemicals, industrial emissions, and air and water quality.
The strategy to address widespread exposure to EDCs is long overdue, as noted again by EU Environment Ministers in their Council conclusions in June.
The Resolution adopted by the European Parliament in April calls for legislative proposals to remove endocrine disruptors from cosmetics, toys and food packaging by June 2020.
