The Ombudsman has opened an own-initiative inquiry into how the European Commission manages risks related to dangerous chemicals.

The opening of the inquiry follows concerns raised in the Ombudsman’s public consultation on transparency and accountability in EU environmental decision making.

The inquiry will examine delays in:

• introducing restrictions to mitigate the risks of specific chemicals
• placing chemicals on the list of substances where use is subject to prior authorisation

The inquiry will also examine whether there is sufficient transparency in relation to these processes.

As a first step, the Ombudsman sent a series of questions to the Commission with the aim of determining the extent of and reasons for the delays.