Commission documents
Introduction

In October 1998, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution calling upon the Commission to take action on the issue of endocrine disruptors (EDs). Among the aims of the Resolution were:

• an improvement in the legislative framework,
  
  
• reinforcement of research efforts and
  
  

• an increased effort to make information available to the public.

In March 1999, the Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE) issued a report, 'Human and wildlife health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals with emphasis on wildlife and on ecotoxicology test methods'. The report identified a 'potential global problem' for wildlife. It also stated that 'impaired reproduction and development causally linked to endocrine disrupting substances are well-documented in a number of wildlife species and have caused local and population changes'.

In December 1999, the Commission published the 'Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors - a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife' - COM(1999) 706 - which set out a general framework for studying ED.

In June 2001, the Commission adopted a Communication on the implementation of the "Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors - a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife", COM(2001) 262, which covers the time period 1999 to 2001.

In October 2004, the Commission published a Staff Working Document on the implementation of the "Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors - a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife", SEC(2004) 1372, which covers the time period 2001 to 2003.

In November 2007, the Commission published a Staff Working Document on the implementation of the "Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors - a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife", SEC (2007) 1635, which is the third progress report on the implementation of the Strategy during the period 2004-2006. 

In August 2011, the Commission published a Staff Working Document on the implementation of the Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors-a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone syatems of humans and wildlife SEC (2011) 1001. This is the fourth report on the implementation of the strategy.