World
EU Ombudsman blasts Commission over chemicals safety
Many highly dangerous substances have remained on the market, sometimes for years, while the EU executive flouts legal deadlines on authorisation decisions, the Ombudsman has found, warning of a ‘threat to health and environment’.
Systematic delays to decisions on the authorisation of dangerous chemicals amount to “maladministration” by the European Commission and the practice is putting people and ecosystems at risk, the EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has found.
The Commission is required by law to table a draft decision within three months of a request for a permit to continue using a banned substance – possible in cases where a producer or manufacturer can demonstrate that risks can be minimized and there is no viable alternative.
But the results of an investigation launched last year on O’Reilly’s initiative and made public today show the EU executive takes over 14 months on average to take such decisions, and sometimes several years.
‘Threat to health’
“These delays represent a threat to human health and the environment as companies are able to continue using the chemical substances, which may be carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction, or have endocrine disrupting properties, during the authorisation process,” her office said in a statement.
The findings came as no surprise to environmental campaigners, who have complained for years about the glacial pace of the EU chemicals restriction process.
For the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), an NGO umbrella group, the probe clearly shows that “EU officials broke the law by delaying bans on dangerous chemicals over the course of nearly two decades”.
But the Commission has blamed delays on the complicated process set out under the EU’s main chemicals regulation, known as REACH.
In a publicly available response to the Ombudsman’s initial request, the Commission said in August that it “in principle avoids proceeding to votes [on the decisions] if there is no reassurance of sufficient support” from the EU’s 27 member states, represented in a committee of government delegates that meets behind closed doors in Brussels.
Another excuse given was the “limited availability of suitable meeting rooms at Commission premises”.
For Tatiana Santos, a chemicals specialist at the EEB, the Commission should not be swayed by political considerations. “What we are talking about here is really the Commission’s failure to even draft a proposal to put to the vote,” she told Euronews.
“One of the arguments they use is that they have internal political discussions within the Commission,” Santos said. “And what we claim is, you don’t have to do that because the political discussions should take place in the REACH Committee, not in the Commission.”
The Ombudsman also criticised the secrecy surrounding the committee, concluding that the Commission’s lack of transparency also constituted maladministration. Public records of the meetings contain scant information on the reasons for delays or the positions of individual governments, O’Reilly found.
ADVERTISEMENT‘Reckless’
Hélène Duguy of the legal charity ClientEarth, said the findings suggest a “reckless” attitude towards chemicals regulation. “This unacceptable behaviour undermines the rule of law and people’s trust in EU institutions,” she said. “It’s now time that EU officials pay heed to the Ombudsman’s recommendations and prioritise public interest over the profits of toxic companies.”
The EU executive said it had “taken note” of the Ombudsman’s criticism. “Some of these procedures for adopting these decisions are quite complex,” a spokesperson told reporters in Brussels. “Some of the timelines are not within the control of the Commission.”
The Commission has three months to respond in detail, but was “willing to examine how our internal procedures can be improved”, the spokesperson said. President Ursula von der Leyen had pledged to “simplify” regulations during her second term, having been criticised for shelving a planned revision of the REACH regulation during her first.
ADVERTISEMENTEnvironmentalists are concerned more broadly that the Green Deal agenda of von der Leyen’s first term will be replaced with a sharper focus on industrial competitiveness in her second, with environmental standards allowed to slip.
Commissioner designate for environment Jessika Roswall is tasked with overseeing chemicals policy reform, and is likely to face a tough parliamentary hearing on 5 November.
Green MEP Jutta Paulus told Euronews she expects Roswall and Frenchman Stéphane Séjourné, who is in line for the industrial portfolio, to demonstrate a commitment to maintaining health and environmental standards.
“They should give assurances that the simplification of REACH will not undermine this protection, but rather accelerate the regulation of hazardous and whole groups of substances,” Paulus said.
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By Jake Lucas and Axel Boada
December 18, 2025
World
Zelenskyy calls for US to respond to ‘signals’ Russia is ‘preparing to make next year a year of war’
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday called for the U.S. and other allies to respond to bellicose “signals” from Russia.
“Today, we again heard signals from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war. These signals are not only for us. It is crucial that our partners see them, and not only see them but also respond — especially partners in the United States, who often say that Russia wants to end the war,” Zelenskyy asserted in a post on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
“Over the past few weeks, the President’s team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, and as the President stated, he believes we are closer now than we have ever been,” a White House official noted.
UKRAINE SAYS IT CARRIED OUT FIRST-EVER UNDERWATER DRONE STRIKE ON RUSSIAN SUBMARINE IN NOVOROSSIYSK
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured during a press conference with Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor, on Dec. 15, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. (Florian Gaertner/Photothek via Getty Images)
“Yet the signals coming from Russia are the exact opposite, taking the form of official orders to their army. This Russian mindset must be recognized — and acted upon. When Russia is in this mindset, it will also undermine diplomacy — seeking, through diplomatic language and pressure over specific points in documents — to merely mask its desire to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians, and the desire to legitimize Russia’s theft of our land. And then come other countries in Europe, which someone in Russia might one day label their so‑called ‘historical lands,’” Zelenskyy asserted in the post.
“Real protection is needed against this Russian case history of madness, and we will continue working with all partners to ensure that protection is in place. Security measures are needed, financial measures are needed — including actions on Russian assets — political measures are needed. And the courage of all partners is required: to see the truth, acknowledge the truth, and act accordingly. I want to thank everyone who supports Ukraine,” his post concluded.
Zelenskyy also conveyed the message in a Ukrainian-language video.
US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA
In this photo distributed by the state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks during an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry Board at the National Defense Control Center in Moscow on Dec. 17, 2025. (Mikhail TERESHCHENKO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared during a Defense Ministry board meeting on Wednesday that Russia will accomplish its goals, through either diplomacy or military force.
“The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means. However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means. The task of creating and expanding a security buffer zone will also be carried out consistently,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript.
HEADED FOR THE EXITS: WHY 3 DOZEN HOUSE MEMBERS AREN’T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., arrives for a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a staunch proponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, asserted in a post on X, “Again… the U.S. should send 200 long-range and extremely accurate cruise missiles to Ukraine. Maybe then, Putin will get serious and seek peace. Putin started this war, and he’ll stop this war once he realizes he cannot win and that the cost of war is too high.”
President Donald Trump’s administration has been attempting to help broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.
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Following tense negotiations among the 27 member states, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pushed the signature of the contentious Mercosur agreement to January to the frustration of backers Germany and Spain.
The trade deal dominated the EU summit, with France and Italy pressing for a delay to secure stronger farmer protections, while von der Leyen had hoped to travel to Latin America for a signing ceremony on 20 December after securing member-state support.
Without approval, the ceremony can no longer go ahead. There is not set date.
“The Commission proposed that it postpones to early January the signature to further discuss with the countries who still need a bit more time,” an EU official told reporters.
After a phone call with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she supported the deal, but added that Rome still needs stronger assurances for Italian farmers. Lula said in separate comments that Meloni assured him the trade deal would be approved in the next 10 days to a month.
The Mercosur agreement would create a free-trade area between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. But European farmers fear it would expose them to unfair competition from Latin American imports on pricing and practices.
Meloni’s decision was pivotal to delay
“The Italian government is ready to sign the agreement as soon as the necessary answers are provided to farmers. This would depend on the decisions of the European Commission and can be defined within a short timeframe,” Meloni said after speaking with Lula, who had threatened to walk away from the deal unless an agreement was found this month. He sounded more conciliatory after speaking to Meloni.
Talks among EU leaders were fraught, as backers of the deal – concluded in 2024 after 25 years of negotiations – argued the Mercosur is an imperative as the bloc needs new markets at a time in which the US, its biggest trading partner, pursues an aggressive tariff policy. Duties on European exports to the US have tripled under Donald Trump.
“This is one of the most difficult EU summits since the last negotiation of the long-term budget two years ago,” an EU diplomat said.
France began pushing last Sunday for a delay in the vote amid farmers’ anger.
Paris has long opposed the deal, demanding robust safeguards for farmers and reciprocity on environmental and health production standards with Mercosur countries.
The agreement requires a qualified majority for approval. France, Poland and Hungary oppose the signature, while Austria and Belgium planned to abstain if a vote were held this week. Ireland has also raised concerns over farmer protections.
Italy’s stance was pivotal.
However, supporters of the agreement now fear prolonged hesitation could prompt Mercosur countries to walk away after decades of negotiations for good.
After speaking with Meloni, Lula said he would pass Italy’s request on to Mercosur so that it can “decide what to do.”
An EU official said contacts with Mercosur were “ongoing,” adding: “We need to make sure that everything is accepted by them.”
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