BETA


2019/2816(RSP) Resolution on a strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ENVI BUŞOI Cristian-Silviu (icon: EPP EPP), SIDL Günther (icon: S&D S&D), HUITEMA Jan (icon: Renew Renew), RIVASI Michèle (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), BALDASSARRE Simona (icon: ID ID), KOPCIŃSKA Joanna (icon: ECR ECR), KONEČNÁ Kateřina (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 136-p5

Events

2021/02/11
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2020/09/17
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2020/09/17
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2020/09/17
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 671 votes to 15, with 10 abstentions, a resolution on a strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment.

The resolution was tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Improving pharmaceutical pollution control

Members pointed out that pharmaceuticals harm ecosystems when released into the environment and reduce the future effectiveness of medicines, in particular by causing antibiotic resistance. Pharmaceuticals and their residues are particularly present in waterbodies and are not completely removed by conventional treatment plants.

Parliament insisted on the need for a holistic approach, including all relevant stakeholders, to combat pharmaceutical pollution, taking into account the entire life cycle of drugs. It asked the Commission to consider the use of extended producer responsibility to reduce the adverse environmental impact of pharmaceuticals.

Raising awareness, prevention and rational use of pharmaceutical products

Parliament called on Member States to share best practices on the preventive use of antibiotics and to promote training for health professionals and awareness campaigns for patients on the prudent use of medicines, such as antimicrobials, antidepressants or contrast fluids. Patients and farmers shall be clearly informed about the negative environmental impacts that can result from medicines that are not disposed of properly.

Concerned about the steady growth in overall per capita consumption of medicines in the EU, Members suggested organising campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of over-consumption of non-prescription medicines. They drew attention to the growing number of supermarket and online sales without a medical recommendation and to the dangers of media advertising for such points of sale outside of pharmacies or suitably accredited establishments.

Promoting greener manufacturing

Members called for more ambitious measures to reduce the risks posed by pharmaceutical pollution. They stressed the need to support research and development of ‘greener pharmaceuticals’, while taking into account that greater biodegradability could potentially impair the efficacy.

According to Members, the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals shall be included in the risk-benefit assessment of human medicines, provided that marketing authorisations are not delayed nor refused solely on the grounds of adverse environmental impacts.

The Commission shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the production of imported medicinal products meets the same environmental standards as those applicable to medicinal products produced in the Union.

Reducing waste and improving waste management

Members considered it is necessary to reduce the overall consumption of medicines per person, without complicating access to medicines or reducing the effectiveness of treatments. Overall consumption of veterinary medicines per animal should also be reduced, without compromising animal health and welfare, and better solutions should be found.

The resolution supported the Commission's intention to reduce waste by allowing medicines to be dispensed in quantities better matching patients' needs and to explore the possibility of extending the expiry dates of medicines to prevent medicines so that they can still be used and are not unnecessarily discarded.

Members called on the Commission to present a proposal to review Directive 86/278/EEC by the end of 2021 at the latest, in order to update the quality standards in line with the latest scientific data to promote a real circular economy. Member States are invited to fully implement the provisions on take-back schemes for unused medicines.

Expand environmental monitoring

Concerned that the monitoring of pharmaceuticals in the environment, particularly in soils, remains very limited, Members stressed the need to strengthen post-market monitoring mechanisms, including environmental impacts.

The Commission is invited to: (i) add pharmaceuticals posing a high risk to the environment to the list of priority substances under the Water Framework Directive; (ii) develop a monitoring system for antibiotics for human use.

Improving environmental risk assessment and increasing transparency

Parliament stressed the importance of:

- setting out a clear roadmap for carrying out environmental risk assessments;

- filling knowledge gaps regarding the entry and persistence of pharmaceuticals in the environment, in particular in aquatic and marine ecosystems;

- supporting research on the direct impact of exposure to pharmaceuticals and their residues in the environment on human health and ecology;

- improving analytical methods to quantify the presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment;

- establishing a centralised and secure database enabling all relevant stakeholders to have access to the results of environmental risk assessments of products.

Documents
2020/09/17
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2020/09/14
   EP - Oral question/interpellation by Parliament
Documents
2020/09/14
   EP - Oral question/interpellation by Parliament
Documents
2020/09/14
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2020/01/30
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2019/09/10
   EP - BUŞOI Cristian-Silviu (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - SIDL Günther (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - HUITEMA Jan (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - RIVASI Michèle (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - BALDASSARRE Simona (ID) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - KOPCIŃSKA Joanna (ECR) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2019/09/10
   EP - KONEČNÁ Kateřina (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

  • Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2020)597
  • Motion for a resolution: B9-0242/2020
  • Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
  • Decision by Parliament: T9-0226/2020
  • Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B9-0015/2020
  • Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B9-0016/2020
  • Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
  • Amendments tabled in committee: PE646.955
  • Amendments tabled in committee: PE646.955
  • Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B9-0015/2020
  • Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B9-0016/2020
  • Motion for a resolution: B9-0242/2020
  • Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2020)597

Votes

B9-0242/2020 - § 15/1 #

2020/09/16 Outcome: +: 678, -: 8, 0: 4
DE FR IT ES PL RO NL BE SE PT HU AT BG CZ EL FI DK SK IE LT HR LV SI EE CY MT LU
Total
95
79
75
59
50
29
28
21
21
20
20
19
17
21
20
14
14
14
12
11
11
8
8
7
6
6
5
icon: PPE PPE
181

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
143

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
96

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
68

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
75

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
3

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Greece ECR

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
28

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

2

B9-0242/2020 - § 15/2 #

2020/09/16 Outcome: +: 403, -: 282, 0: 5
PL FR IT RO CZ HU BG SK NL DK SI BE SE LT HR LV LU EE IE DE EL MT CY FI AT PT ES
Total
50
79
75
29
21
20
17
14
28
14
8
21
21
11
11
8
5
7
12
95
20
6
6
14
19
20
59
icon: PPE PPE
181

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

2
2
icon: Renew Renew
96

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Slovenia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Bulgaria ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Greece ECR

1
icon: ID ID
75

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Austria ID

3
icon: NI NI
28

Hungary NI

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Croatia NI

2

Germany NI

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Czechia GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

4

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
68

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3
icon: S&D S&D
143

Slovakia S&D

3

Slovenia S&D

Against (2)

2

Belgium S&D

For (1)

3

Lithuania S&D

2
3

Latvia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Greece S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Finland S&D

2

B9-0242/2020 - § 15/3 #

2020/09/16 Outcome: -: 374, +: 308, 0: 8
PL IT HU SK BG HR LV SI LT LU EL MT CY SE CZ RO IE BE AT EE PT FI NL DK DE FR ES
Total
50
75
20
14
17
11
8
8
11
5
20
6
6
21
21
29
12
21
19
7
20
14
28
14
95
79
59
icon: PPE PPE
181

Latvia PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

2
2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Bulgaria ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1

Greece ECR

1

Germany ECR

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
75

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2

Austria ID

3

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
28

Hungary NI

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Germany NI

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

4

Belgium GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
68

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Spain Verts/ALE

3
icon: Renew Renew
96

Italy Renew

Against (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Bulgaria Renew

3

Croatia Renew

Against (1)

1

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

Against (1)

1

Sweden Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Finland Renew

3
icon: S&D S&D
143

Slovakia S&D

3
3

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

Against (2)

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Greece S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Belgium S&D

For (1)

3

Estonia S&D

2

Finland S&D

2

B9-0242/2020 - Am 1 #

2020/09/16 Outcome: +: 449, -: 225, 0: 16
FR IT DE ES BE DK FI SE NL AT PT EE IE RO CY CZ MT LT LU EL HR SK SI LV BG HU PL
Total
79
75
95
59
21
14
14
21
28
19
20
7
12
29
6
21
6
11
5
20
11
14
8
8
17
20
50
icon: S&D S&D
143

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
96

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

For (1)

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Slovenia Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
68

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1
icon: ID ID
75

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
3

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Czechia ID

For (1)

Against (1)

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Czechia GUE/NGL

1
icon: NI NI
28

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

1

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Hungary NI

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

4

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

2

Latvia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2
icon: PPE PPE
181

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Finland PPE

3

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Latvia PPE

2

B9-0242/2020 - Résolution #

2020/09/17 Outcome: +: 671, -: 15, 0: 10
FR IT DE ES PL RO NL SE PT HU BE AT BG EL FI DK SK CZ IE LT HR LV SI EE CY MT LU
Total
79
75
94
59
51
31
29
21
21
21
20
19
17
21
14
14
14
20
12
11
12
8
8
7
6
6
6
icon: PPE PPE
185

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
144

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
67

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: ID ID
75

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
3

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
29

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

1

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2
AmendmentsDossier
258 2019/2816(RSP)
2020/01/30 ENVI 258 amendments...
source: 646.955

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
committee_full
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
committee
ENVI
associated
False
rapporteur
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
committee_full
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
committee
ENVI
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False
rapporteur
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE646.955
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-AM-646955_EN.html
docs/4
date
2021-02-11T00:00:00
docs
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Commission response to text adopted in plenary
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EC
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  • date: 2020-09-17T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
forecasts
  • date: 2020-09-14T00:00:00 title: Debate in plenary scheduled
  • date: 2020-09-17T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
New
Procedure completed
procedure/title
Old
Strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment
New
Resolution on a strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment
forecasts/0/title
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Debate in plenary scheduled
forecasts/1
date
2020-09-17T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled