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OPINION (2023/2148(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2022

ENVI-AD-754667

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Pascal Canfin

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The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety suggests that the Committee on Budgetary Control grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency for the 2022 budget. It notes the Agency's 2022 budget of EUR 116 981 740, fee income of EUR 40,154 million and Union subsidy of EUR 78,294 million, and welcomes the first rise in fee income since 2018. It calls on the Commission to propose without delay a stronger governance and more sustainable financing model for the Agency, and stresses the need for adequate staffing for the European Green Deal and chemicals strategy tasks. It regrets that the Agency still recommends authorising substances of very high concern despite significant uncertainties, deplores slow restrictions and long derogations, and asks the Agency to justify authorisations and reference evidence for derogations. It commends the Agency's work on the Integrated Regulatory Strategy, alternatives to animal testing, cooperation with other Union agencies and the 'one substance - one assessment' principle.

Committee position. The Committee recommends that discharge be granted to the Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency for the 2022 budget, and asks the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into its discharge decision.

Key points

  1. The Committee calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the discharge decision for the European Chemicals Agency for 2022.
  2. It observes that the Agency implements Union chemicals legislation, collects and disseminates information on chemicals, helps companies comply and promotes safe use.
  3. It notes the 2022 final budget of EUR 116 981 740, a 5,3% increase from 2021, with commitment execution of 98,6% and payment execution of 85,1%, and says strict segregation between legislation causes administrative burden and inflexibility.
  4. It notes 2022 fee income of EUR 40,154 million and a Union subsidy of EUR 78,294 million including EUR 2,244 million from third countries, and welcomes the first fee income increase since 2018.
  5. It stresses the lack of predictability of fee income and calls on the Commission to present without delay its proposal to strengthen the Agency's governance and financing sustainability.
  6. It underlines the need for adequate staffing for the European Green Deal, the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Circular Economy Action Plan and the zero pollution target.
  7. It acknowledges the Agency's focus on core legal tasks, support for the revision of CLP and REACH and new tasks under the Drinking Water Directive, and welcomes 151 of 162 planned outputs completed and 8 in progress.
  8. It welcomes the Agency's work on alternatives to animal testing and its cooperation with other Union agencies through memoranda of understanding, including joint work on pollinators and soil.
  9. It regrets that the Agency recommends authorising substances of very high concern where significant uncertainties remain, and calls on it to verify that authorisations are justified and to require data excluding carcinogenicity or long-term toxicity.
  10. It deplores the long time to restrict highly hazardous chemicals and unjustly long or timeless derogations, and calls on the Agency to reference the evidence considered and make uncertainties clear.
  11. It commends the Integrated Regulatory Strategy, notes about 2 000 substances in 61 groups assessed and about 75% of registered substances above 100 tonnes assessed by end-2022, with about 1 000 high-tonnage substances unassessed.
  12. It invites the Agency to follow the Precautionary Principle, welcomes the 'one substance - one assessment' principle with EFSA, notes about 20% of completed assessment cases led to further action, and recommends discharge.

Who is affected

  • The European Chemicals Agency: its 2022 budget implementation is assessed and discharge is recommended.
  • The Commission: asked to present a proposal to strengthen the Agency's governance and financing model without delay.
  • The Agency: asked to ensure adequate staffing, justify authorisations and reference evidence for derogations.
  • Companies using chemicals: affected by the Agency's compliance support and authorisation decisions.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 116 981 740: the Agency's final budget for 2022.
  • 5,3%: increase in the 2022 budget compared to 2021.
  • 98,6%: commitment appropriation execution rate in 2022.
  • 85,1%: payment appropriations execution rate in 2022.
  • EUR 40,154 million: fee income collected in 2022.
  • EUR 78,294 million: Union subsidy in 2022, including EUR 2,244 million from third countries.
  • 151 of 162: planned outputs completed as planned in 2022, with 8 in progress.
  • Approximately 2 000 substances in 61 groups: assessed under the Integrated Regulatory Strategy.