MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin (S&D) has asked the European Commission whether it plans to mandate the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) across the EU for asbestos identification, arguing that the current optional approach leaves workers and the public inadequately protected. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 27 May 2026, Pellerin-Carlin warns that scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which some Member States use, cannot detect the finest asbestos fibres or reliably distinguish them from interferents at low concentrations, unlike TEM. The MEP stresses that asbestos, banned in the EU since 2005, remains widespread in older buildings and is increasingly found in products for children.
Pellerin-Carlin's question targets a gap in EU rules: while the Commission requires electron microscopy for asbestos testing, it leaves Member States free to choose between SEM and TEM. The MEP contends that this creates unequal protection across the single market and undermines worker safety. He asks whether the Commission will explicitly recommend or mandate TEM EU-wide to harmonise standards and ensure equivalent protection.
The question is a formal parliamentary instrument under Rule 144, and the Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. The answer will signal whether the Commission is open to tightening technical requirements for asbestos detection, a move that would affect national enforcement agencies, construction and demolition firms, and public health authorities. Pellerin-Carlin's initiative aligns with broader EU efforts to improve occupational safety and address legacy asbestos risks, though it also raises potential cost implications for laboratories that would need to upgrade equipment.
Policy orientation: The MEP pushes for stronger EU harmonisation and higher technical standards, favouring worker and public health protection over flexibility for Member States. The Commission's response will indicate whether it shares this preference for a single, more sensitive detection method across the bloc.