Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, on behalf of the European Commission, has dismissed calls for an independent EU-wide epidemiological investigation into a possible link between COVID-19 vaccination and fertility, stating that existing scientific evidence does not warrant such a study. The answer, given to a parliamentary question from Austrian MEP Gerald Hauser (PfE), reaffirms the Commission's position that COVID-19 vaccines have no association with impaired fertility in men or women, based on continuous monitoring by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Member States.
The question was submitted on 27 February 2026, following a previous exchange (E-002731/2025) in which the Commission had already stated that long-term safety data on COVID-19 vaccines remain reassuring regarding fertility. Hauser cited a Czech study suggesting lower conception rates among vaccinated women aged 18-39 compared to unvaccinated women, and asked whether the Commission would launch its own investigation, which other countries had published similar studies, and why the public was not being proactively informed.
In his response, Várhelyi pointed to several peer-reviewed studies, including a Swedish study finding no association between vaccination and childbirth rates, and a Max Planck Institute analysis concluding that fertility trends returned to pre-pandemic levels. He argued that short-term fertility variations during the pandemic were attributable to behavioural changes, not vaccination. The Commissioner also highlighted the EMA's transparency measures, including regular publication of safety committee highlights and periodic safety update reports, as evidence that the public is kept informed.
Policy orientation and institutional follow-up
The answer signals a clear policy orientation: the Commission sees no need for additional research or public communication campaigns on this topic, relying on existing pharmacovigilance structures. This stance may disappoint MEPs and civil society groups seeking more proactive transparency, but aligns with the EMA's established risk assessment framework. No further institutional follow-up is expected unless new scientific evidence emerges. The Commission's position prioritises scientific consensus and resource efficiency over responding to individual studies that it considers methodologically insufficient to alter the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines.