What changed

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

P10_TA(2025)0047

on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 401/2009, (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) No 2019/1021 as regards the re-attributionRe-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals

(COM(2023)0783 – C90447/2023 – 2023/0455(COD))

Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety

PE763.253

Amendments adopted by the European Parliament on 1 April 2025 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 401/2009, (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals (COM(2023)0783 – C9-0447/2023 – 2023/0455(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0783),

– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C90447/2023),

– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 20 March 2024,

– having regard to Rules 60 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (A10-0020/2025),

1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

Recital 8: (8) Correspondingly, this Regulation aims to address the eventual divergence between scientific opinions of the European Food Safety Authority and those of other Union agencies. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and Council already contains provisions establishing a procedure to solve divergent scientific opinions. Those resolution procedures should be reinforced, in that the European Food Safety Authority and the other dissenting agency should be bound to make their best effort to resolve the divergence on general scientific issues. Differences in assessment methodologies resulting in divergent opinions, particularly with regard to the protection of vulnerable groups, should be duly justified. In such instances, priority should be given to the most protective opinion to safeguard vulnerable groups. Only when they are not able to resolve the divergence, should they refer to risk managers.

Regulation (EU) 2019/1021

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Rapporteur considers that strengthening the knowledge base on chemicals, facilitates the exchange of data between regulatory bodies as well as their communication and coordination on regulatory action, while streamlining the assessment of chemicals, and ensuring early detection and action on emerging chemical risks.

The Rapporteur welcomes the Commission’s proposal and the proposed harmonisation of assessments, with the caveat that each of the agencies work under their individual mandates, and full harmonisation is not possible without alignment of the regulations. He considers that streamlining is needed, and data harmonisation could work for the benefit of EU citizens and industry.

The reassignment of scientific and technical tasks should not lead to all tasks being centralised primarily in one agency (e.g. ECHA). When it comes to the hazard assessment of substances, it would be understandable that ECHA would be more involved. However, the risk assessment of chemicals – especially in the context of specific applications or product groups – should still be carried out by the agencies that have already gained extensive experience in this field.

In the case of substantive divergence over scientific issues, the Rapporteur considers that all the bodies involved in the process should work either resolving the divergence or preparing a joint document clarifying the contentious scientific issues.

INAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE