Dangerous substances: carcinogens, mutagens or toxic to reproduction, c/m/r (23rd amend. Directive 76/769/EEC)

The two amendments adopted by the Parliament have been rejected by the Commission. The Commission cannot accept an extension of the ban on substances classified as CMR of category 1 and 2 and preparations to products containing such substances, placed on the market for use by the general public. The approach under the current chemicals regime is to assess substances on a case by case basis with risk management measures being taken where it is established that action should be taken to prevent unacceptable risks. The Commission will continue this practice and if particular risks arising from CMR substances in producers are identified, proposals will be made for restrictions on a case by case basis. To further extend the scope of the Directive to ban CMR substances in products sold to the general public would be an immense undertaking requiring risk assessments for probably hundreds of substances and possibly thousands of uses. Launching such a high number of risk assessments would not be feasible and would be inconsistent with Council Regulation 793/93/EEC and Commission Regulation 2364/2000. As regards the general issue of reduction of risks from dangerous substances, the Commission draws attention to the important changes which will be brought about under the new chemicals strategy and which are of direct relevance in meeting the objectives sought by Parliament's proposed amendments.�