; EUROPEAN COMMISSION : , ; DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

'... " . Acting Director General

Brussels, SANTE/E3/RC/np

Dear Ms Rivasi,

Thank you very much for your letter dated 29 May 2015 to Commissioner Andriukaitis, who asked me to reply on his behalf.

Before answering to your questions I would like to clarify one point. You write in your letter that ''following massive pressure by industry from both sides of the Atlantic and certain scientists in June 2013, the Secretary General of the Commission unilaterally decided to launch an impact assessment of different options for those criteria in July 2013." I would like to stress once agam that the decision to carry out an impact assessment on this matter arose during the Commission's preparatory work as a result of persistently diverging views on many points within the scientific community and amongst other regulators. In addition, potentially significant impacts - both positive and negative - on health, the environment and the socio-economy (including agriculture, trade, consumers and SMEs) were likely to arise. It was therefore decided to carry out an impact assessment - a standard procedure in the Commission for all proposals which may lead to significant impacts - so that the Commission could make a properly informed decision on how best to define the necessary criteria.

As you were informed at the 12th of May round table and at the 1st of June conference, the impact assessment is progressing well. The JRC methodology will be published together with the results of the screening, which is expected to last for 10 months, i.e. until end of February 2016. In the autumn 2015, the Commission intends to organise an event to further inform interested parties on the methodology it has developed for the purpose of this impact assessment.

An external contractor selected following public procurement rules using the Framework Contract SANCO/2012/02/0111 is screening with the JRC-methodology the evidence available of about 700 chemicals, with a view to estimate if they would fall under the different options for the criteria outlined in the roadmap. To guarantee the independence of this contractor and to protect this screening from any lobby pressure, his contact details will be published once the study is finalized. In addition, as usual, the contractor is bound by conflict of interest and confidentiality rules.

Ms Michle Rivasi Member of the European Parliament ASP 06 E 206 Rue Wiertz 60 B- 1047 Brussels Email: Michele.rivasi@europarl.europa.eu

1 Link to the contract award notice: 2013 :TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0&tabId= 1

httD://ted.eiiropa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:309968-

Commission europenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGI - Tel. +32 22991111 Office: B232 7/66 - Tel. direct line +32 229-87237

Ref. Ares(2015)2672136 - 25/06/2015

Finally, in the context of TTIP, the Commission is not negotiating with the US on Article 4 of the Pesticides Regulation on the approval criteria for active substances, nor on endocrine disrupters and the criteria for their identification.

Yours sincerely,

/ Ladislav Miko

Cc: N. Chaze, M. Fliih, R. Chehlarova, B. Gautrais, S. Plecita Ridzikova

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