This report covers Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and Commission replies published between Monday 20 and Sunday 26 October 2025. The key policy areas under scrutiny include the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly concerning the protection of minors and tackling illegal content, and the geopolitical dimensions of the EU’s research and innovation funding under the Horizon Europe programme. The Commission’s responses consistently project a procedural and enforcement-oriented tone, emphasising the existing legal frameworks and ongoing monitoring activities. These developments are crucial for digital-policy professionals tracking the implementation of major legislative files and the intersection of technology policy with international relations.
DSA Enforcement & Interpretation
❗Commission Confirms DSA Investigation into Snapchat’s Protection of Minors
In a reply on 20 October 2025, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen addressed concerns about the dissemination of illegal advertisements for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine products to minors on Snapchat. The Commission confirmed that as a designated Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act, Snapchat is subject to reinforced obligations to mitigate systemic risks and ensure a high level of safety for minors. The response highlights that the Dutch Digital Services Coordinator is actively investigating Snapchat’s compliance with these obligations, as detailed in the context of question E-003366/25.
❗Commission Outlines Framework for Tackling Foreign Interference
Responding on 22 October 2025 to question E-002563/25 regarding foreign interference through digital platforms, Commissioner McGrath outlined the role of the European Democracy Shield. The Commission frames the Shield as a framework building on the European Democracy Action Plan and the Defence of Democracy Package. It points to existing tools like the regulation on political advertising and the Regulation on addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online (TCO), noting the latter has had a positive impact. A full evaluation of the TCO Regulation’s effectiveness is planned for 2026.
❗Commission Highlights Multiple Actions to Protect Youth Online
In a comprehensive response on 24 October 2025, Commissioner Várhelyi detailed a wide range of initiatives to address the impact of social media on youth mental health. The reply to E-003198/25 references the Digital Services Act’s strict rules for protecting minors, a blueprint for age verification, and a forthcoming EU action plan against cyberbullying. The Commission also signals its intent to propose a Digital Fairness Act to strengthen consumer protection for children and update guidelines for teachers on digital literacy, indicating a multi-pronged approach to digital well-being.
❓MEPs Probe Regulatory Gaps for Non-EU Online Retailers
A cross-party group of MEPs submitted question E-003905/25 on 6 October 2025, raising concerns about regulatory loopholes that benefit online retail platforms based outside the EU, particularly in China. The question highlights risks to consumer rights, product safety, and fair competition, suggesting the current legal framework, including the DSA, is insufficient. MEPs ask the Commission how it assesses these gaps and what steps it is taking to expedite customs reform. A response from the Commission is pending.
❓MEPs Question Enforcement Against Digital Publishing Piracy
In question E-004038/2025, submitted on 15 October 2025, MEPs from The Left group highlighted the significant economic damage caused by the illegal distribution of newspapers and magazines on social media and messaging apps. They ask the Commission what steps it will take to ensure swift and repeated content removals under the DSA, enhance cross-border cooperation between national authorities, and whether it plans to collect EU-level data on publishing piracy. A response is pending.
❓MEPs Seek Balance Between Hate Speech Removal and Media Freedom
Submitted on 15 October 2025, question E-004039/2025 raises concerns about potential conflicts between the work of “monitoring reporters” tackling illegal hate speech under the DSA and the principles of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). MEPs ask how the Commission plans to ensure that the system of reporting hateful content does not lead to arbitrary censorship or content removal by digital platforms. A response from the Commission is pending.
❓MEP Questions New ‘Knowledge Centre’ as Form of Mass Surveillance
In question E-004041/2025, submitted on 15 October 2025, an MEP expressed concern that a new Knowledge Centre to monitor online hate speech, proposed in the LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy, could represent a form of mass surveillance similar to the controversial “Chat Control” proposal. The question asks the Commission to clarify how the Centre differs from Chat Control and what safeguards will be in place to protect privacy and prevent misuse for suppressing legitimate opinions. A response is pending.
❗Commission States No Evidence of GDPR Scope Being Limited by Member States
Responding on 20 October 2025 to question E-003205/2025, Commissioner McGrath stated that the Commission is not aware of any evidence that Member States are excluding economic disputes from the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Commission also noted it has no evidence of distortions in credit risk assessments by financial institutions. The reply reaffirms that the GDPR applies to all processing of personal data by automated or non-automated means that form part of a filing system.
❓MEPs Demand Action on Telecom Network Vulnerabilities and Spyware
Following media revelations about a company named First Wap allegedly gaining unlawful access to global telecom networks, question E-004042/2025 was submitted on 15 October 2025. MEPs ask the Commission how it will ensure national regulators prohibit illegal access for spyware companies, enforce existing sanctions, and address systemic network vulnerabilities, particularly in the context of the upcoming Digital Networks Act. A response is pending.
❓MEPs Inquire About Satellite Infrastructure for Wildfire Monitoring
In question E-004046/2025, submitted on 15 October 2025, MEPs raised concerns about the future of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) as several satellites it relies on are set to be decommissioned. The question asks the Commission how it plans to ensure the continuity of satellite monitoring and what investments or partnerships under the Copernicus or Horizon Europe programmes are anticipated to strengthen the system’s long-term resilience. A response is pending.
❗Commission Defends Digital Euro Privacy Standards
In a reply on 22 October 2025, Commissioner Dombrovskis addressed question E-003402/25 concerning the development of the digital euro alongside new banknote designs. The Commission stated its commitment to the highest standards of privacy and data protection, asserting that the Eurosystem would never be able to identify individual users in online payments. The response also highlights that the legislative proposal requires an offline version of the digital euro to be offered, allowing for fully anonymous transactions.
❓MEP Questions EU Lag in Authorising Self-Driving Vehicles
Submitted on 13 October 2025, question E-004001/2025 asks why the European Union is lagging behind countries like the United States and Japan in the authorisation and regulation of self-driving vehicles. The MEP seeks clarification on the current legal and technical obstacles and asks when the Commission expects to propose a European framework for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles. A response is pending.
❓MEP Seeks Details on European Network of AI-Powered Screening Centres
Following President von der Leyen’s announcement of a European network of AI-powered advanced screening centres, question E-004022/2025 was submitted on 14 October 2025. The question asks for details on the network’s legal status, funding, and integration with existing initiatives like European Digital Innovation Hubs. It also probes how the Commission will ensure compliance with the AI Act’s obligations for high-risk systems and the GDPR, particularly before the European Health Data Space is operational. A response is pending.
❗Commission Proposes Partial Suspension of Horizon Europe Agreement with Israel
In a series of highly consistent replies on 21, 22, and 23 October 2025, Commissioner Zaharieva addressed multiple questions (E-002355/25, E-003220/25, E-001178/25, E-002540/25) regarding the participation of Israeli entities in the Horizon Europe research programme, particularly those involved in dual-use technologies. The Commission repeatedly states that while research on dual-use tech is not prohibited, all Horizon-funded activities must have an “exclusive focus on civil applications.” Crucially, the Commission concludes that Israel is violating human rights and humanitarian law, breaching Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement. Consequently, it has proposed to the Council to partially suspend the Horizon Europe Association Agreement with Israel for calls under the European Innovation Council Accelerator.
❗Commission Confirms Israeli Arms Company is Under Ethics Assessment in Horizon Europe Project
In a specific response on 22 October 2025 to question E-003206/25, Commissioner Zaharieva confirmed that Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Limited is a beneficiary in one Horizon Europe project. The Commission reiterated that all projects must comply with ethical principles and international law. It was disclosed that the project in question is currently under an ethics assessment, and non-compliance could lead to measures including termination of the grant or the beneficiary’s participation.
The Commission’s replies from this period indicate a clear focus on the implementation and enforcement of its flagship digital legislation. The repeated references to the Digital Services Act in responses concerning the protection of minors, online marketplaces, and illegal content underscore a shift from policymaking to active oversight. The Commission positions itself as a coordinator, pointing to the key role of national authorities like the Dutch Digital Services Coordinator in investigating potential breaches, which suggests a decentralized but centrally monitored enforcement strategy.
A significant cross-cutting theme is the intersection of technology policy with geopolitics and fundamental rights. The Commission draws a clear line, concluding that Israel’s actions constitute a breach of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, thereby justifying a proposed partial suspension of its association with the research programme. This could indicate the EU’s increasing willingness to leverage its research and innovation funding as a tool of foreign policy, linking scientific cooperation directly to adherence to international law and human rights.
Finally, a narrative of embedding safeguards into new technologies emerges from the Commission’s communications. In its response on the digital euro, the Commission proactively emphasizes privacy-by-design features, such as the impossibility of tracing users and the requirement for an anonymous offline version. This, combined with references to safety-by-design for minors online, suggests a strategic effort to build public trust and preemptively address political sensitivities around surveillance and data protection in the EU’s next wave of digital transformation.
