Orientering fra Miljøstyrelsen, 13/2004 – Miljøstyrelsens Kemikalieinspektion - årsberetning 2003

Miljøstyrelsens Kemikalieinspektion - årsberetning 2003

10 Summary and conclusions

The Chemical Inspection Service is in charge of Danish EPA supervision of legislation regulating chemicals in Denmark: the Act on Chemical Substances and Products, statutory orders, and regulations and circulars issued under the Act.

High priority areas for the Chemical Inspection Service are:

national and international inspection collaboration on classification and labelling
control of cosmetic products and toys
control of phthalates in toys
control of substances and products subject to rules in Denmark that are different from rules in other EU Member States, ie. pesticides and lead
control of toxic chemical substances and products

Supervision and enforcement of chemicals regulation are core objectives of the Chemical Inspection Service. In 2003 the Inspection Service launched nine campaigns focussing on pesticides, classification and labelling of a number of chemical products, cosmetics, certain restrictions on use, and phthalates in toys.

In connection with some of the campaigns, publications were issued – see Annex B “Oversigt over publikationer” (Survey of publications – in Danish).

Enforcement reports from enterprises, consumer organisations and private persons were considered by the Chemical Inspection Service. In 2003 the Service received 114 reports. The majority of the reports focussed on pesticides, classification and labelling, and cosmetics, with almost the same number of reports on each of these issues.

In 12 cases the Chemical Inspection Service found – after thorough examination of the products – that the chemicals rules had not been violated. A total of six reports were handed over to the public prosecution service.

Each year the Chemical Inspection Service initiates its own inspection cases. In 2003, the Service took up 17 cases for inspection, some because of matters identified as illegal on the basis of the Danish EPA reports on chemicals in consumer products.

In 2003, 14 criminal cases of infringement of chemicals regulations were concluded. Ten cases resulted in fines. The level of fines ranged between DKK 5,000-35,000 or EURO 671 - 4703. The largest fine was imposed due to illegal import and resale of pesticides.

On 23-24 October 2003, Belgium hosted the 2003 meeting of the CLEEN (Chemical Legislation European Enforcement Network). The Network aims at strengthening cooperation among European chemical inspection services, thus improving the knowledge and understanding of and compliance with the chemicals regulation, and at making sure that manufacturers and importers operate under equal conditions in all countries. One purpose of the meeting was to invite future Member States, and to assist them in joining the Network.

The chemical inspection services in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark join together in the formal group “Nordic Inspection Group” under the Nordic Council of Ministers' Nordic Chemical Group. The group works to set up and maintain a network of inspection service staff, to contribute jointly to selected inspection areas, and to coordinate the Nordic efforts at EU/EES level.

Iceland hosted a Nordic meeting in Reykjavik on 21-23 May 2003. At the meeting the countries' inspection work was presented and discussed, enforcement under future EU regulation was debated, and the status of the common Nordic inspection project was reviewed, focussing on classification and labelling of textile detergents.