Food Import Safety, Reproductive Healthcare Access & Chemical Regulation

❗ Food safety standards and third-country imports

in a series of PQs (P-000417/26 from Ciaran Mullooly, (Renew), E-000385/26, P-000616/2026 from Sander Smit, (ECR), E-001528/2026 from Laurence Trochu, (ECR) and others, E-001445/2026 from Sander Smit, (ECR), and E-001446/2026 from Sander Smit, (ECR)), Members raised urgent concerns regarding the enforcement of EU food safety standards on imported goods, specifically citing cereulide-contaminated infant formula from China, hormone-treated beef from Brazil, and substandard poultry and eggs from China and Ukraine. In responses published on 17 and 21 April 2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that EU food safety standards apply to all products placed on the market regardless of origin, noting that a 50% increase in third-country audits and a new Task Force on import controls will strengthen enforcement, while the Brazilian establishment involved in the beef incident has been delisted. Responses to the remaining PQs are pending.

❗ Nitrate pollution of drinking water in Denmark

in a PQ (E-000864/26 from Per Clausen, (The Left)), concerns were raised over nitrate pollution in Aalborg’s drinking water and its potential links to bowel cancer. In a response published on 24 April 2026, Commissioner Roswall stated that the Commission is preparing an EU summary report on the Nitrates Directive and finalizing its evaluation, while noting that the EU supports cancer prevention through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan rather than conducting specific studies on individual cancer risk factors.

❓ Noise emissions and infrasound from wind farms

in a PQ (E-001519/2026 from Zala Tomašič, (PPE)), the Member questioned the regulatory gaps regarding noise emissions and infrasound from wind farms and their impact on public health. Responses from the Commission are pending.

❗ Access to abortion services and use of EU funds

in a series of PQs (P-000838/26 from Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, (PfE), E-001222/2026 from Erik Kaliňák, (NI), E-005072/25, and E-000674/26 from Nikos Pappas, (The Left)), Members debated the Commission’s response to the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ European Citizens’ Initiative, questioning the legal basis for using the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to finance abortion services and highlighting barriers to access such as conscientious objection in Greece. In responses published on 16 and 17 April 2026, Commissioner Lahbib stated that while healthcare organization remains a national competence, ESF+ can support initiatives enhancing equal access to healthcare, including legal abortion, and announced plans to map practices and improve data collection on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Responses to the pending PQ are awaited.

❗ Lyme disease testing and patient registries

in a PQ (E-000634/26 from Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, (Renew)), the Member inquired about progress on proposals from the EuroLyme petition regarding working groups, patient databanks, and oversight of Borrelia blood tests. In a response published on 17 April 2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that there are no current plans for a European patient testing registry, noting that Borrelia tests are subject to independent oversight under the Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/746.

❓ Revision of the Tobacco Taxation Directive

in a PQ (E-001460/2026 from Siegbert Frank Droese, (ESN)), the Member questioned the proportionality of aligning national tobacco tax rates and the regressive effect of minimum tax rates on low-income households. Responses from the Commission are pending.

❗ Chemical risk assessments and regulatory simplification

in a series of PQs (E-000762/26 from Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, (PPE) and others, E-000610/26 from Anthony Smith, (The Left), and P-000703/26), Members scrutinized the methodology behind chemical classifications, the transparency of industry meetings regarding REACH revisions, and the impact of the Food and Feed Safety Omnibus on plant protection products. In responses published between 16 and 23 April 2026, Executive Vice-President Séjourné and Commissioner Várhelyi stated that the Commission adheres to strict transparency rules and that recent simplification proposals, such as Omnibus VI, aim to improve legal clarity and procedural efficiency without lowering the high level of protection for human health and the environment.

❗ Harmonisation of EU ingredient labelling for allergens

in a PQ (E-000591/26 from Sirpa Pietikäinen, (PPE) and others), Members asked if the Commission intends to make E-numbers universally mandatory and require disclosure of raw material sources to protect allergic consumers. In a response published on 17 April 2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that the current legal framework adequately addresses allergenic concerns by requiring clear indication of specific allergens, and that mandatory E-numbers or raw material source disclosures are not necessary.

❓ Extended producer responsibility for micropollutants

in a PQ (E-001468/2026 from Beatrice Timgren, (ECR)), the Member raised concerns about the proportionality of the extended producer responsibility scheme under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which requires producers of medicinal and cosmetic products to cover costs for removing micropollutants. Responses from the Commission are pending.

❗ Closure of maternity wards in Poland

in a PQ (E-000719/26), the Commission was asked about the link between the European Semester recommendations and the closure of maternity wards in Poland. In a response published on 21 April 2026, Commissioner Várhelyi stated that while the European Semester identified Poland’s health system as hospital-centred, no country-specific recommendation was made regarding maternity wards, and decisions on hospital networks remain a national competence.

❗ Access to services for persons with disabilities in Sicily

in a PQ (E-000832/26 from Giuseppe Antoci, (The Left)), the Member reported systemic shortcomings in access to social, health, and educational services for persons with autism in Sicily. In a response published on 23 April 2026, Commissioner Lahbib stated that while the organization of healthcare and social protection is a national competence, the Commission provides EU funding and technical assistance to support the transition from institutional care to community-based inclusion.

❓ Helicopter emergency medical services in Greece

in a PQ (E-001465/2026 from Sakis Arnaoutoglou, (S&D)), the Member highlighted delays in the operational deployment of helicopter emergency medical services for mountain and island rescue in Greece, asking about EU funding and common standards. Responses from the Commission are pending.

All Parliamentary Questions and Commission Answers are accessible via Policy-Insider.AI.