Juan Fernando López Aguilar, a Spanish MEP from the Socialists and Democrats group, has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission seeking details on EU coordination and support for the Canary Islands following the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism due to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. The question, filed on 7 May 2026, highlights the vulnerability of the outermost region as an EU external border exposed to international maritime traffic.
López Aguilar asks what concrete assistance the Emergency Response Coordination Centre is coordinating for Spanish and Canary Islands authorities. He also inquires whether the EU has strategic reserves of antivirals, protective equipment, or medical equipment through rescEU or other health preparedness instruments that could be rapidly deployed to the islands. Finally, he asks whether the Commission plans to adopt specific support and coordination measures for outermost regions facing health risks linked to international maritime traffic.
The question reflects concerns about the adequacy of EU health crisis response for remote, border regions. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal the EU's policy direction on health security for outermost territories and the operational readiness of its civil protection and health reserves.