§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proposals being prepared by the European Commission covering control of chemicals in household products. [34542]
§ Mr. MeacherThe European Commission presented a White Paper on a Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy in February last year. This proposes a new regulatory regime for chemicals used in household and other products. We have published the following assessments of it:
- an Explanatory Memorandum on the proposals (23 March 2001);
- a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (May 2001);
- a report by the Institute for Environment and Health on the Testing Requirements for Proposals under the EC White Paper "Strategy for Future Chemicals Policy" (April 2001).
These documents have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.
In June last year the UK and other member states agreed Council Conclusions endorsing the White Paper proposals. The conclusions called for the proposals to be strengthened in a number of respects. They emphasised the need for a more streamlined process to obtain the essential information required to speed up action on the chemicals of most concern and to phase out those that pose unacceptable risks with the minimum delay. Ministers also agreed that chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and those that are very persistent and very bioaccumulative should be added to the list of chemicals of very high concern that will be subject to the most stringent controls.
Following the agreement of the Council Conclusions a number of working groups made up of stakeholders and representatives from member states were convened to consider in detail how the proposed regulatory system should operate. The Commission is now drawing up proposals for legislation and expects to publish draft proposals later this year.