EU towards harmonised regulation on endocrine disruptors

The EU’s new Chemicals Strategy includes special attention on consolidating the regulation on endocrine disrupting chemicals and points towards a more trans-sectorial and harmonised regulation.


Chemicals with endocrine disrupting effects are used widely across different industries but their regulation is not uniform. Because of their severe impact on humans and the environment, the EU Commission wants to harmonise regulation on these chemicals.

This is made clear in the Chemicals Strategy, published in October 2020. To strengthen the legal framework, the Commission proposes to:

  • establish legally binding hazard identification of endocrine disruptors, building on criteria already developed for pesticides and biocides, and apply it across all legislation;
  • ensure that endocrine disruptors are banned in consumer products unless they are proven to be essential for society;
  • strengthen workers’ protection by introducing endocrine disruptors as a category of substances of very high concern under REACH;
  • ensure sufficient and appropriate information to allow authorities to identify endocrine disruptors by reviewing and strengthening information requirements across legislation;
  • accelerate the development of information on endocrine disruptors through screening and testing of substances.

With the increased regulatory focus on endocrine chemicals, evaluation of possible endocrine disrupting
properties will become a future requirement for all sectors in relation to hazard and safety assessments.

For more details on how to assess endocrine disrupting properties, please contact:

Brian Svend Nielsen
bsn@remove-this.dhigroup.remove-this.com
Tel +45 4516 9140