Ref. Ares(2016)2831623 - 17/06/2016
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From:
CAB JUNCKER PRESIDENT
Sent:
16 June 2016 13:02
To:
CAB JUNCKER ARCHIVES
Subject:
FW: Commission decision on Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs) Criteria - WECF
international symposium points out the need to protect pregnant women
and children from toxic chemicals
Attachments:
Letter WECF EDCs Criteria June 14th 2016.pdf
From:
[mailto
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2016 5:26 PM
Subject: Commission decision on Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs) Criteria - WECF international
symposium points out the need to protect pregnant women and children from toxic chemicals
Attention :
College of Commissioners
European Commission
June 14th 2016,
Subject:
Commission decision on Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs) Criteria –
WECF international symposium June 9th points out the need to protect
pregnant women and children from toxic chemicals
Dear Commissioners,
Tomorrow, by announcing official scientific criteria of EDCs, you are about to
make an important choice for the health of millions of European citizens. Women
in Europe for a Common Future, as an NGO network much involved in the
prevention of vulnerable populations exposure to toxic chemicals, would like to
share with you some core elements pointed out by speakers and scientists during
the international symposium we organized in Paris on June 9th. Indeed, we are
very much concerned that the appropriate choice of EDCs criteria is made to
ensure the best protection of vulnerable populations from harmful chemical
exposures.
Speakers of June 9th event included Dr Jeanne Conry, past president of the
American Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and co-chair of the working
group on environmental health of the International Federation of Gynecology and
Obstetrics (FIGO) and Patrice Sutton, academic coordinator at the Program for
Reproductive Health and the Environment of the University of California, San
Francisco. Both of them stressed the need to move from knowledge to action, and
to carry out collective action, using all powerful opportunities to prevent the rise of
non-communicable diseases linked to exposures to toxic chemicals, including
EDCs. As well, scientists reminded that robust science reflecting real exposure,
and use of the precautionary principle were needed to advance towards a better
protection from harmful chemical exposures.
WECF would like to point out that for EDCs criteria, this means clearly that
science-based criteria are the core elements on which a definition should be based.
As such, an impact assessment based on socio-economic elements, is not relevant
to make the best decision in the interest of people’s health and that of future
generations. Especially because pregnancy is such a vulnerable period to the
unborn, criteria such as potency cannot be considered valid for this definition.
The Commission, in its role of EU leading political institution, has an historic role
in making choice reflecting most robust scientific elements: this definition, to be
used as a tool to regulate EDCs can foster innovation and environmental health
protection. We would therefore advise you to follow WHO classification in 3
categories – known, probable and suspected – to reflect the wide spectrum of
effects which can affect populations.
We thank you for the attention you will give to these important elements, and trust
that your decision will reflect existing scientific body of evidence and health
professionals considerations.
Yours sincerely,
President WECF France Advocacy Manager WECF France