In view of the existential, transnational threat of the climate emergency in Europe, the European Commission's light touch approach is woefully inadequate and a huge disappointment.
European scientists and doctors have sent a letter urging the European Parliament to suspend the Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus, until an independent scientific investigation on its health and environmental impacts has been conducted.
The European Court of Justice dismissed the appeal from pesticide manufacturers to challenge once again the non-renewal of the pesticide chlorpyrifos-methyl. Studies show that chlorpyrifos-methyl can impact brain development (developmental neurotoxicity) and cause DNA damage (genotoxicity) – both potentially leading to adverse effects across generations.
The EU Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC), joined by European and global health organisations, has issued a statement calling on EU policymakers to phase out fossil fuels swiftly.
The trilogue negotiations on the Chemical Omnibus, which includes changes in the Cosmetic Products Regulation, concluded yesterday. The compromise reached between the co-legislators includes important agreements, notably rejecting exemptions for the use of carcinogens by inhalation or ingestion in cosmetic products. Yet the outcome weakens the current safety rules for cosmetic products when it comes to health.
In today's Chemicals Omnibus vote on the Cosmetic Products Regulation, HEAL welcomes the Parliament's alignment with the Council to reject exemptions for carcinogenic substances by inhalation or ingestion (exposure routes). Yet, from a health perspective, the upcoming trilogue negotiations between Council, Parliament and the EU Commission need to go further to prevent problematic proposals that would weaken the current protections against cancer-causing substances in cosmetics.
European Commissioner Roswall has confirmed that the Commission is no longer planning to revise REACH within its current mandate, but looking into the comitology process.
The European Parliament's joint ENVI and IMCO committees voted today on changes to the Cosmetic Products Regulation as part of the Chemicals Omnibus package. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) welcome the committees' alignment with the Council to reject the exemption of carcinogenic substances by inhalation or ingestion (exposure routes). Yet the vote retains problematic provisions that would keep people exposed to known harmful chemicals longer than necessary.
Mit dem Ziel der Vereinfachung von EU-Gesetzgebung hat die Europäische Kommission im „Chemikalien- Omnibus" Änderungen an der EU-Kosmetikverordnung vorgeschlagen. Diese würden zu einer bedeutenden Absenkung des Gesundheitsschutzes gegenüber Chemikalien führen, welche Krebs verursachen, die Fortpflanzungsfähigkeit beeinträchtigen und das Erbgut schädigen. Die EU-Kosmetikverordnung regelt die Verwendung von Substanzen für eine breite Palette alltäglicher Körperpflegeprodukte wie Seife, Make-up, Zahnpasta, Cremes und Sonnenschutzmittel.
The Health and Environment Alliance welcomes today's confirmation by the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) leading scientific committees that a PFAS restriction is urgently needed due to the risks they pose on health and the environment, and the costs associated with pollution. Both the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) conclude that existing EU measures fall short and that the proposed restriction is the most appropriate regulatory response.
The proposal currently under discussion in the European Parliament as part of the EU’s Chemicals Omnibus would weaken long-standing protections against carcinogenic substances in cosmetics and personal care products. Most concerningly, the European Parliament’s draft report proposes to allow substances newly classified as carcinogenic to remain on the market for up to 6.5 years, far longer than the current 18-month limit, exposing consumers for years after their risks are recognised.
Diseases associated with exposure to harmful chemicals include cancer, neurological, metabolic and endocrine disorders, allergies and other serious health effects. The forthcoming REACH revision is Europe's chance to protect health for years to come. Health organisations across Europe are therefore calling on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to ensure the REACH revision in 2026 puts health first.
The Health and Environment Alliance warns the European Commission's food and feed deregulation omnibus proposal would introduce changes to the EU's pesticide and biocide rules that would drastically weaken protections…
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) is concerned that the EU environmental omnibus risks weakening laws that protect people's health from pollution - just as the European Environment Agency warns that the EU is at risk missing most of the 2030 environmental targets. Rising climate risks, slow transitions in production and consumption, and weakening support systems make urgent, stronger, and better-funded policy action essential.
A new report commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) warns that chemical pollution is fuelling a growing men’s health crisis in Europe. Prostate and testicular cancers and infertility are on the rise. Mounting evidence links these trends to exposure to phthalates, PFAS, pesticides and microplastics with widespread contamination across all age groups. Alarmingly exposure to these chemicals even before conception is associated with disorders in male offspring. The related health costs are estimated to exceed €15 billion annually.
European and national health organisations urge EU leaders to factor in the rising health costs and disease burden caused by climate change when shaping the EU’s climate goals beyond 2030. The current lack of climate ambition endangers lives, threatens to deepen health inequalities, and leads to increased healthcare costs across Europe.
EU countries have widely different approaches to protecting people against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution, a new report commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) finds. While Austria, Denmark, and France have national PFAS plans, and Belgium has regional ones, most EU member states rely on EU regulations that are not sufficient to control PFAS contamination and protect health.
HEAL warns the European Commission that efforts to cut administrative and industry burden in environmental legislation cannot undermine protections against pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, placing everyone’s health at risk.
Following the proposal of the European Commission for the post-2027 EU long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034), the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) expresses serious concern over the insufficient action taken to address pollution and its related health impacts, including the phase-out of all fossil fuels subsidies.
Today’s publication of the European Commission’s chemicals omnibus confirms serious concerns: if pushed through the proposal will significantly weaken protections in the Cosmetic Products Regulation, allowing the prolonged use of carcinogens and other harmful chemicals in personal care products.
