📑 Overview
This report covers Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and Commission Answers published between 03.05.2026 and 10.05.2026. During this period, 6 new PQs were published and 12 Commission Answers became available. Key themes this week included medical supply chain resilience, cancer prevention, regulation of novel health products, and health data governance.
❗ Medical supply chain resilience and shortages
In a series of PQs (E-001602/2026 from Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos, (NI), E-001673/2026/rev.1 from Piotr Müller, (ECR), E-001610/2026/rev.1 from Gerald Hauser, (PfE), and P-001187/26), concerns were raised over growing medicine shortages, dependence on third-country supply chains, the need for mandatory EU production levels for critical medicines, and the imminent shortage of nitrile products and helium. In an answer to P-001187/26 published on 08.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that the situation appears stable with minimal disruption to medical product transport and no impact on manufacturing capacity, highlighting rescEU stockpiles and the proposed Critical Medicines Act as tools to bolster collective preparedness. Responses to the pending questions from the Commission are pending.
❗ EMA transparency on COVID-19 vaccines
In a PQ (E-001055/2026 from Christine Anderson, (ESN)), a request was made for access to documents from extraordinary PRAC meetings regarding COVID-19 vaccines. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi clarified that the outcomes of these meetings were incorporated into publicly available plenary minutes and European public assessment reports.
❗ Cancer incidence and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
In a series of PQs (E-000972/2026 and E-001032/2026), inquiries were made regarding rising cancer incidence rates across Member States and the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan following a Court of Auditors report. In responses published on 08.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi noted that cancer incidence data is tracked via the European Cancer Information System and confirmed that the Commission is working on follow-up actions to mitigate risks identified by the Court of Auditors, aiming to establish a comprehensive monitoring framework by 2027.
❗ Tobacco and novel nicotine products regulation
In a series of PQs (E-001743/2026 from Pietro Fiocchi, (ECR), and E-000685/2026), questions were raised on the conformity checks of the Tobacco Products Directive across Member States and the taxation and health risks of novel nicotine products. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi emphasized that novel nicotine products are not risk-free and that their taxation aims to reduce consumption. Responses regarding the conformity checks are pending.
❗ Unregulated health products and online advertising
In a series of PQs (P-001840/2026 from Alexandra Geese, (Verts/ALE), and P-000828/2026 from Biljana Borzan, (S&D)), MEPs highlighted concerns over the aggressive marketing of unregulated health products, including nutraceuticals on social media platforms and energy powders for inhalation, potentially breaching the Digital Services Act and consumer safety laws. In a response published on 03.05.2026, Commissioner McGrath clarified that energy powders for inhalation fall under the General Product Safety Regulation rather than food laws, and the Commission is monitoring Safety Gate notifications. Responses regarding Digital Services Act breaches are pending.
❗ Misclassification of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
In a PQ (E-001070/2026 from Alex Agius Saliba, (S&D)), concerns were raised over the misclassification of physical and rehabilitation medicine as ‘physiotherapy’ in Annex V to Directive 2005/36/EC. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Executive Vice-President Mînzatu noted that the Commission is looking into a systemic solution as part of its evaluation of Directive 2005/36/EC.
❗ Recognition of Long COVID as an Occupational Disease
In a PQ (E-001261/2026 from Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, (S&D)), questions were raised on Commission action to support Member States in recognising Long COVID as an occupational disease for healthcare and social care workers where infection occurred in the workplace, and to ensure adequate income protection and workplace adaptation. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Executive Vice-President Mînzatu clarified that recognition and compensation for occupational diseases fall under Member State competence, but highlighted the Commission’s Recommendation on a European schedule of occupational diseases and the role of the ESF+ in supporting affected individuals.
❗ Support for Post-Polio Syndrome Patients
In a PQ (E-000771/2026 from Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, (Verts/ALE)), concerns were raised about the lack of up-to-date data, harmonised clinical protocols, and reference centres for Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) in the EU. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that the Commission supports the field of rare diseases through European Reference Networks (ERNs), such as ERN EURO-NMD and ERN-RND, which PPS patients may benefit from, with EUR 77.4 million allocated until 2027 through the EU4Health programme.
❓ Access to vital dialysis treatments
In a PQ (E-001215/2026/rev.1 from Sakis Arnaoutoglou, (S&D)), concerns were raised over the closure of a chronic dialysis unit in Pieria, Greece, forcing vulnerable patients to travel long distances and threatening continuity of care. Responses from the Commission are pending.
❗ Data protection in health-tracking apps
In a PQ (E-000599/2026), questions were raised regarding the lawfulness, transparency, and data protection safeguards of personal electronic health data collected by health-tracking apps. In a response published on 06.05.2026, Commissioner Várhelyi confirmed that the GDPR fully applies to such processing and that the forthcoming European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation will establish strong security safeguards overseen by national health data access bodies.
❗ Recovery and Resilience Facility health targets
In a PQ (E-004979/2025), an inquiry was made into the fulfillment of targets related to Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, specifically concerning the establishment of community health houses and hospitals. In a response published on 08.05.2026, Commissioner Dombrovskis stated that the Commission will assess these targets against the Council Implementing Decision requirements during Italy’s upcoming tenth payment request.
❗ Trace limits for persistent organic pollutants
In a PQ (E-000823/2026), focus was placed on the establishment of unintentional trace contaminant limit values for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) under the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation. In a response published on 08.05.2026, Commissioner Roswall assured that the Commission aims to set the limit value as low as practically feasible, taking into account technical constraints and advances in detection technologies.
All Parliamentary Questions and Commission Answers are accessible via Policy-Insider.AI.
