92001E2681

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2681/01

by Gerard Collins (UEN) to the Commission

(26 September 2001)

Subject: Premature Zinc Risk Assessment timetable

The Commission has been due to hold final in-depth discussions in relation to the risk assessment for zinc and other zinc substances at Technical Meeting 3 from 17 to 21 September, despite the fact that many significant unresolved issues remain.

The premature closing-off of the draft Risk Assessment Report (RAR) means that potentially important research conducted by the industry may not be taken into account. This could mean that Parliament will be considering legislation which is flawed.

Will the Commission explain why discussions on the zinc dossiers could be concluded without taking into account all relevant and new research and thereby ensuring that a risk assessment in this field is based on the best available scientific knowledge?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2082/01, E-2127/01, E-2348/01 and P-2681/01given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2001)

The six zinc compounds undergoing risk assessment following Council Regulation (EEC) No. 793/93 of 23 March 1993 on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances, were prioritised on 27 September 1995. The first draft risk assessment reports (RAR) were submitted by the Dutch authorities, acting as Member State Rapporteur, to the Community Technical Meeting in December 1999. Over the last decade, extensive discussions between the Dutch Institute Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) acting as Rapporteur and zinc industry have taken place, and the output has been considered in the reports.

In comparison with other priority substances assessed under the Council Regulation (EEC) No. 793/93 on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances, the procedure for completing the risk assessment for the six zinc compounds is not in anyway accelerated and there has never been the intention to close the discussions without taking into account ongoing research that could affect the conclusions.

At the Technical Meeting in September 2001, after an extensive discussion on the new draft reports, Member States experts agreed that especially on the issue of the emissions from zinc to soil and the bioavailability of this released zinc in the soil, specific information needs could be identified that might affect some of the conclusions regarding the risks of this substance. Therefore, in line with the usual procedure under this Regulation, the meeting agreed on a conclusion (i) there is a need for further information and/or testing, and agreed on a deadline of 18 months from September 2001 to obtain this information. After this deadline the Member State Rapporteur will incorporate the new results in the final RAR. These results and the final part of the report will then be discussed and concluded upon by the Technical Meeting.