Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 91998E0666

**WRITTEN QUESTION No. 666/98 by Anita POLLACK to the Commission. Endocrine disrupting chemicals** 
  
*Official Journal C 402 , 22/12/1998 P. 0020*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0666/98

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(10 March 1998)

Subject: Endocrine disrupting chemicals

Does the Commission agree that there is a need for standardized screening tests for new and existing chemicals for endocrine-disrupting potential and if so, what action is being taken to achieve this either at European or international level?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 1998)

The issue of endocrine disruption falls within the overall context of the existing Community chemicals legislation. At present, the specific detection of endocrine disrupting properties of chemical substances is not explicitly addressed in the relevant Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws, regulation and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances(1), as amended. Several scientific conferences, organised by the Organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD), United States environment protection agency (USEPA), Community Member States and the Commission, recommended that a specific test strategy has to be developed for the detection of effects of substances suspected of producing endocrine disrupter effects on man and the environment. As part of this strategy, the need to develop a battery of screening tests was pointed out.

Besides funding several research projects on endocrine disruption, the Commission is, at this stage, working together with other countries at OECD level to define a common strategy and to define the objectives and priorities related to testing methods development. A major outcome of a first meeting was a consensus on the conceptual framework for the investigation of the effects of possible endocrine disrupter substances. This framework includes a screening level of testing for priority setting and to characterise the mechanism of action. This approach requires the development and validation of specific in vivo and in vitro screening tests as well as the enhancement of existing test methods and their validation. Further work on this will allow selection of the appropriate screens and initiation of the work for its validation.

(1) OJ 196, 16.8.1967.

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