Anyway, it is important that the existing gaps regarding chemicals in products are closed. If the horizontal solution cannot be agreed in the first place, specific legislation is the next best option. Whatever legal framework is chosen it should also include the possibility of adopting or changing the chemical requirements by using delegated acts rather than by decision of Council and Parliament and foresee a systematic monitoring and assessment of the occurrence of chemicals in (certain) products. 4 Specific regulation needs Inspired by several further studies of the Consumer Council at the Austrian Standards Institute (ASI) and on the basis of an analysis of ongoing political initiatives at European and national levels, ANEC developed a priority programme of regulatory chemical requirements for products that need to be implemented or revised as soon as possible. Top priority areas include: Materials in contact with food • Materials in contact with drinking water • Emissions to indoor air • Clothing and other textiles • Toys • Child use and care articles • Packaging • Tattoo inks • Nanomaterials (in various products) • Some of the key features of the envisaged regulatory requirements are outlined below. In addition, there are some other product areas of second priority which are briefly mentioned at the end of the document. ANEC considers that the establishment of chemical rules for products in key areas should not be delegated to industry dominated standards bodies but need to be adopted at the regulatory level. However, standards may play a valuable role in the development of the related test methods. Materials in contact with food Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food is the framework regulation that sets up general requirements for all food contact materials. It contains general safety requirements and provides that food contact materials must not transfer their components into food in quantities that could endanger human health, change food composition in an unacceptable way or deteriorate its taste and odour.
Anyway, it is important that the existing gaps regarding chemicals in products are closed. If the horizontal solution cannot be agreed in the first place, specific legislation is the next best option. Whatever legal framework is chosen it should also include the possibility of adopting or changing the chemical requirements by using delegated acts rather than by of Council and Parliament and foresee a systematic monitoring and assessment of the occurrence of chemicals in (certain) products. 4 Specific regulation needs Inspired by several further studies of the Consumer Council at the Austrian Standards Institute (ASI) and on the basis of an analysis of ongoing political initiatives at European and national levels, ANEC developed a priority programme of regulatory chemical requirements for products that need to be implemented or revised as soon as possible. Top priority areas include: • Materials in contact with food • Materials in contact with drinking water • Emissions to indoor air • Clothing and other textiles • Toys • Child use and care articles • Packaging • Tattoo inks • Nanomaterials (in various products) Some of the key features of the envisaged regulatory requirements are outlined below. In addition, there are some other product areas of second priority which are briefly mentioned at the end of the document. ANEC considers that the establishment of chemical rules for products in key areas should not be delegated to industry dominated standards bodies but need to be adopted at the regulatory level. However, standards may play a valuable role in the development of the related test methods. Materials in contact with food Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food is the framework regulation that sets up general requirements for all food contact materials. It contains general safety requirements and provides that food contact materials must not transfer their components into food in quantities that could endanger human health, change food composition in an unacceptable way or deteriorate its taste and odour. decision
ANEC-PT-2014-CEG-002draft.docx