The use of glycol ethers and their effects on health have recently attracted the attention of the French health authorities. At their request, INSERM, the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, conducted a collective expertise review on glycol ethers in 1999. INSERM Expertise Reviews are independent procedures performed by experts from several disciplines, to guarantee the objectivity and the relevance of the report. During several work sessions, the experts carried out a critical analysis of and reviewed studies concerning the toxicity of glycol ethers. This process resulted in a series of recommendations and conclusions. All these data have been published in the form of a report and have been used to help the public authorities to make decisions on how to prevent risks for professionals and consumers.