THE CHEMICALS STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: How Can the European Union Set an Example for the World?

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the European Commission's October 2020 "Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability." The document evaluates the Strategy's potential to create a "toxic-free environment" and provides recommendations for the EU to lead global chemicals management by strengthening international standards, eliminating double standards in exports, and implementing rigorous internal regulations on hazardous substances.

• The EU's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability introduces several transformative internal policy proposals, including a "generic approach to risk management" to prevent harmful chemicals in consumer products by 2022, and the definition of "essential uses" for the most harmful chemicals by 2021-2022.
• The Strategy aims to address specific classes of hazardous substances, including a plan to restrict persistent poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for non-essential uses between 2022 and 2024, and the development of legally binding hazard identification for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by 2021-2022.
• The EU has committed to meeting the 2030 Agenda's goals for sound chemicals management, specifically targets under SDG 12, 3, and 6. However, the report notes that the EU has not yet achieved these goals internally, with Eurostat reporting that the total consumption of toxic chemicals in the EU increased between 2013 and 2018.
• To lead internationally, the EU is encouraged to support the Stockholm Convention by listing new Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) without exemptions and lowering low POPs content values, criticizing the EU's previous proposal of 10,000 mg/kg for short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) as being orders of magnitude higher than other countries' proposals.
• The report identifies a need for the EU to end "double standards" by ensuring that hazardous chemicals banned within the EU are not produced for export to other regions, with a target date of 2023. This includes addressing the export of electronic waste to African countries under "repairable" loopholes.
• The EU intends to promote the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN GHS) internationally, with plans between 2022 and 2024 to introduce or clarify criteria for hazard classes such as endocrine disruptors and persistency and mobility in line with the CLP Regulation.
• The report suggests that the EU should promote the creation of an international fund for the sound management of chemicals and waste, potentially funded by a coordinated national tax on basic chemicals, to address chronic underfunding in the sector.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). THE CHEMICALS STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: How Can the European Union Set an Example for the World? https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CSS-Analysis_Final.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. THE CHEMICALS STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: How Can the European Union Set an Example for the World? n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CSS-Analysis_Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=THE CHEMICALS STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: How Can the European Union Set an Example for the World? |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CSS-Analysis_Final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndchemicals, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{THE CHEMICALS STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: How Can the European Union Set an Example for the World?}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CSS-Analysis_Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }