As the EU Commission and representatives of member states gather on 3 April 2025 to discuss the reform of EU chemicals legislation REACH, HEAL stresses the importance of putting health at the core of the revision. The CARACAL meeting will see the EU Commission present their initial plan for reforming REACH.
Yesterday, MEPs held a confirmation hearing with Commissioner-designate Várhelyi, whose portfolio includes health and animal welfare.
People’s health is threatened like never before by climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Scientific evidence showing how the triple crisis threatens and already impacts people’s health across the European Union has steadily increased and underlines the need for urgent action to prevent further suffering and economic impacts. The health of children, the elderly, those living with disease, and those experiencing socio-economic disadvantages and health inequalities is particularly at risk.
Accelerated action on this triple crisis and on prevention is also at the heart of the Budapest Declaration, adopted in 2023 by health and environment ministers of the WHO European region, including all EU member states.
HEAL is therefore concerned about the Commissioner-designate’s approach to the crucial role of prevention. While Mr. Várhelyi opened the hearing by stating that prevention was his priority, in the ensuring hours he spoke only at length about diagnosis and treatment. Prevention seems to be merely a buzzword for the Commissioner-designate, without any proper follow through.
Mr. Várhelyi repeatedly cited the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan as an inspiration and guideline for his work ahead in the new European cardiovascular health initiative. However, he was silent on addressing the broader environmental determinants of health – which also impact heart health. This is contrary to the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which prioritises tackling environmental determinants for cancer prevention, supported by a substantial evidence base.
As the World Heart Federation points out, air pollution is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, responsible for 25% of all deaths from heart disease, and 24% of all deaths from stroke globally. Exposure to heavy metals, including mercury and lead, is also proven to damage the heart. In addition, a growing number of studies point to hazardous chemicals – BPA, PFAS and pesticides – contributing to the burden of cardiovascular disease.
The lack of commitment to prevention is particularly concerning in his views expressed on pesticides: his priority seems solely to be on the acceleration of pesticides authorization and availability of pesticides. He did not state any determination to accelerate the reduction of people’s exposure, as a crucial way to reducing the burden of disease in the EU. Millions of people across the EU are calling for pesticide reduction, as evidenced in the ECI ‘Save bees and farmers’ initiative.
HEAL urges MEPs to press on his commitments to the environmental prevention of disease and pollution reduction in his written questions procedure.
HEAL has issued specific demands regarding pesticide reduction, including the establishment of pesticide-free areas and urgent phase-out of harmful pesticides.
“The science is crystal clear and keeps growing: climate change and pollution are a major determinant of people’s health. If Commissioner-designate Várhelyi’s emphasis on prevention is to be more than a tick-box exercise, he needs to include urgent action on reducing pollution in all of his initiatives. This is especially true for pesticides. Instead of Mr. Várhelyi pushing for quicker authorisations for substances, he should prioritise exposure reduction and the protection of people’s health, including of farmers and farming communities”, states Genon Jensen, HEAL Executive Director.
