Regulatory Review – November 2024
This digest provides an overview of some of the latest regulatory news announcements of interest to the SETAC community. Please send your suggestions to [email protected].
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada (HC)
Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada released The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report. Findings indicate that while many of Canada’s bird populations continue to decline, others have increased due to deliberate and informed conservation efforts.
The Government of Canada is taking steps to implement the modernized Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), which recognizes in its preamble that every individual in Canada has a right to a healthy environment as provided under CEPA. The Government of Canada is working to implement the modernized act through the development of various initiatives, such as frameworks, policies, strategies, regulations and processes. Over the next couple of months, the public will have the opportunity to have their say on these efforts through various consultations.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
A pilot enforcement project by ECHA’s Enforcement Forum found that 6% of inspected cosmetic products contained hazardous substances banned under POPs and REACH regulations. The enforcement authorities have taken measures to remove the non-compliant products from the market. In most cases, the first step was issuing written advice to guide suppliers on how to comply with the law.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
EFSA updated its Guidance for Novel and Traditional Food Applications and Notifications effective 31 January 2025.
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
As representatives from 196 countries discussed the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, reports indicated that:
- Protecting freshwater ecosystems can help countries meet their biodiversity targets.
- Headway on pledges to protect 30% of the Earth by 2030 but progress must accelerate.
U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH)
The NIH Office of Science Policy issued the NIH Scientific Integrity Policy, which will go into effect 30 December 2024. The policy is informed by the 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking and guidance from the National Science and Technology Council. The policy will be reviewed at the end of next year and then every two years.
Contact: [email protected]