Liesbet SOMMEN

Policy topics Liesbet SOMMEN is active on

What Liesbet SOMMEN has said (32)

• 2026-02-10 “E-000557/2026 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission To date, most of the Member States have adopted national limits for the use of gametes in their country. These limits are in general covering the distribution of gametes for maximum 12 families. During the recent legislative procedure on the new Regulation on substances of human origin (SoHO) 1 , the European Parliament and the Council did not agree to the introduction of an EUwide limit. However, as of 7 August 2027, the new SoHO Regulation will require Member States’ authorities to enforce all national maximum limits for distribution by gamete banks. Hence these limits will apply even in cases of cross-border distribution to other Member States, and this marks a significant step forward in the control of cross-border distribution of sperm in the EU. 1 Regulation (EU) 2024/1938 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application and repealing Directives 2002/98/EC and 2004/23/EC – see in particular its Article 58(10).”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• 2026-01-20 “Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 31.3.2026 Written question EU legislation requires rigorous assessment and authorisation of new treatments ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of approved medicines. Supply of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) in the EU requires a marketing authorisation, an approved clinical trial, or a nationally-approved hospital exemption. Patients with severe illnesses may also access unauthorised medicines through compassionate use [1] with Member States required to notify the European Medicines Agency to maintain transparency and coordination, offering controlled early access and mitigating ‘therapy tourism’ risks. While it is concerning that experimental therapies are marketed directly to patients through online platforms and social media, it is important to emphasise that the EU and national regulators are vigilant and actively working to ensure patient safety. The European Medicines Agency and Heads of Medicines Agencies Network have issued joint statements outlining the risks associated with unregulated advanced therapies. The most recent statement, in March 2025 [2] , provides practical guidance for patients and caregivers on how to identify unregulated therapies. The new EU pharmaceutical legislation also clarifies hospital exemption rules for ATMPs, tightening oversight to close loopholes that could be exploited for unproven therapies. The Commission remains fully committed to the implementation of existing actions under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan [3] , which support better access to high-quality and safe treatments. For example, last year, the Joint Action EUnetCCC launched the EU Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres [4] with the aim of improving eligible patient access across Europe by 2030. [1] Article 83 of Regulation (EC) No 726/2004. [2] https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/public-statement/unregulated-advanced-therapy-medicinal-products-pose-serious-risks-health_en.pdf. [3] https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-02/eu_cancer-plan_en_0.pdf. [4] https://eunetccc.eu/.”
  Pharmaceuticals regulation in EU · EU competences on health
• 2025-09-30 “P-003798/2025 Answer given by Mr Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission Eurostat is aware of the growing number of patchwork families. To collect more detailed information on different family types within social surveys 1 , it is compulsory to collect the household grid, i.e. all the relations among household members. The household grid can be collected at low level or at high level of detail. Based on the information collected at high level of detail, it is possible to identify patchwork families. Countries are obliged to collect the household grid only at low level of detail 2 , and only a limited number of countries provide highly detailed information. Additionally, within the European statistics on income and living conditions 3 , in 2021, information on ‘Children living in separated or blended families’ 4 was collected on ad hoc basis. However, due to sample limitations, it was only possible to disseminate the percentage of children having one parent living outside of the household, which, in 2021, in the EU, it was of 12.7% 5 . Currently, considering the growing need for information on patchwork families, Eurostat is reflecting on how to encourage Member States to collect household grid at high level of detail, thus allowing a better understanding of living conditions of such families. The Commission is working together with the Social Protection Committee to develop adequate monitoring and benchmarking frameworks to support and track EU social developments, such as those related to the European Child Guarantee. While there are difficulties in providing more granular information, the Commission encourages Member States to make use of administrative data collected for reporting on the implementation of the European Child Guarantee, including on access of children in precarious family situations to key services. 1 Under Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 October 2019 establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, based on data at individual level collected from samples, OJ L 261I, 14.10.2019, p. 1, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1700/oj. 2 According to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2181 of 16 December 2019 specifying technical characteristics as regards items common to several datasets pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council, OJ L 330, 20.12.2019, p. 16, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/2181/oj. 3 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/income-and-living-conditions/information-data. 4 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2242 of 16 December 2019 specifying the technical items of data sets, establishing the technical formats and specifying the detailed arrangements and content of the quality reports on the organisation of a sample survey in the income and living conditions domain pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council, OJ L 336, 30.12.2019, p. 133, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/2242/oj. 5 Estimation with low precision because of low sample size or high non-response rate.”
  Support for families
• 2025-07-17 “E-2956/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission closely monitors the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) 1 in the Member States. It is primarily for national regulatory authorities to enforce the national rules transposing the Directive, including its Article 28b on the obligation of video-sharing platform providers to protect minors. As per Article 33 of the AVMSD, by 19 December 2026 at the latest, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council an ex-post evaluation of the impact of the Directive and its added value, accompanied where appropriate by proposals for its review. The evaluation will cover the impact of the rules on the protection of minors and be supported by a study 2 . The Digital Services Act (DSA) 3 and the AVMSD are fully complementary and pursue the same objective regarding the protection of minors online. The DSA, in particular, strengthens the protection of minors online by setting uniform rules for intermediary services across the EU. Therefore, in view of the DSA’s harmonised rules, any actions taken at national level must not fall within the full harmonisation scope of the DSA and ensure complementarity with those taken at EU level so that minors are protected to the highest possible degree against harmful and illegal content on online platforms. 1 Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services in view of changing market realities. 2 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/funding/avmsd-commission-launches-call-tenders-study-evaluationdirective. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2025-07-17 “E-002957/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission As mentioned in its replies to P-002033/25 1 and E-002807/25 2 , the Commission is working to address challenges identified regarding the regulatory framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics. It has been conducting a targeted evaluation of the Regulations (EU) 2017/745 (Medical Devices Regulation ‘MDR’) and (EU) 2017/746 (In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation ‘IVDR’). To follow up on the evaluation, and respond to calls from the European Parliament, Member States and stakeholders, the Commission will present by the end of 2025 a legislative proposal for a revision of the MDR and IVDR 3 . As part of this revision, among other objectives, the Commission aims to reduce the administrative burden including reporting obligations, enhance the predictability and costefficiency of the certification processes of notified bodies, and make the conformity assessment requirements more proportionate, especially for low- and medium-risk devices and those that cater to special patient needs. In line with the political priorities of the Commission, a revision of the MDR and IVDR will aim to simplify the legislation and lighten the regulatory burden for the actors subject to the regulations, also for small and medium-sized enterprises, software producers and manufacturers of innovative devices, without compromising patient safety and public health. 1 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-10-2025-002033-ASW_EN.html. 2 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/-ASW_EN.html. 3 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14808-Medical-devices-and-in-vitrodiagnostics-targeted-revision-of-EU-rules_en.”
  Medical devices
• 2025-07-17 “E-002955/2025 Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission To facilitate and harmonise the Value Added Tax digital reporting requirements, Council Directive (EU) 2025/516 imposes the use of electronic invoices on B2B 1 intra-Community transactions as of 1 July 2030. For domestic transactions, Member States can impose the use of electronic invoices, but they can also relieve certain operators from this obligation. In addition, they can put in place other measures to help small operators with the implementation of electronic invoices, such as providing support or offering free public portals. Further, there are commercial and open-source software applications available allowing to easily connect to the Peppol 2 network. The Directive provides for a single standard to be accepted in all Member States for the issuance of electronic invoices (‘the European standard’ 3 ) to maximise interoperability. However, it does not regulate the means for their transmission and it does not mandate or advocate the use of the Peppol network. To further assist businesses with the obligation to issue electronic invoices, explanatory notes will be published well before its entry into application. Some Member States have in place or plan to implement online sites with useful information tailored to the specific country regarding these obligations. The European Business Wallet initiative will offer a tool that can automatically verify buyer-supplier information and send electronic invoices, reducing the administrative burden and fostering interoperability. 1 Business-to-Business. 2 https://peppol.org. 3 Laid down in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1870 of 16 October 2017 on the publication of the reference of the European standard on electronic invoicing and the list of its syntaxes pursuant to Directive 2014/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 266, 17.10.2017, p. 19, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2017/1870/oj).”
  EU competences on taxation · VAT harmonisation
• 2025-06-11 “E-002339/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Ribera on behalf of the European Commission As announced on 25 March 2024, the Commission has been taking investigative steps to assess Amazon’s compliance with Article 6(5) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). 1 The Commission is still actively looking into potential self-preferencing practices by Amazon on the Amazon Marketplace. The Commission is in regular discussions with Amazon and has sent the company various requests for information. The Commission is additionally collecting evidence from relevant stakeholders to conduct its assessment. This will inform the next steps. Relatedly, Amazon explained on Monday 23 June 2025 during the DMA compliance workshops organised by the Commission the main evolution and effects of the compliance measures it has taken to comply with the provisions of the DMA. Amazon’s intervention has given the Commission the possibility to obtain market feedback to the Article 6(5) DMA compliance solution proposed by Amazon. Amazon also explained how it has been integrating and rolling-out Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions on its platforms. The DMA contains obligations that guarantee that the use of AI on gatekeepers’ core platform services doesn’t hamper the development of fair and constable digital markets. In addition, the Commission has taken important steps to monitor and accompany the development of trustworthy AI. The AI Act 2 has introduced disclosure obligations on AI-generated and manipulated content and transparency requirements for General Purpose AI Models. In the future, the Commission will continue to examine opportunities and challenges related to the use of AI. At this stage, there are no interim findings available and no further publicly available information on the status of the Commission’s preliminary investigation. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32022R1925. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401689.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content · EU rules on digital competition
• 2025-06-11 “E-002341/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission Artificial Intelligence (AI) is facilitating content creation by offering accessible and costeffective tools that broaden creative possibilities and foster new business models. Although AI raises concerns among professionals and consumers 1 , its adoption is growing. For instance, it is estimated that over 3% of generative AI activities are already related to creative industries 2 . The Commission has taken important steps to monitor and accompany the development of trustworthy AI. The AI Act 3 has introduced disclosure obligations on AI-generated and manipulated content and transparency requirements for general purpose AI models. In addition, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) 4 has introduced obligations to guarantee that the use of AI on gatekeepers’ core platform services doesn’t hamper the development of fair and constable digital markets. In line with the AI Continent Action Plan 5 , the Commission will propose in the Apply AI Strategy 6 further actions to support a responsible uptake of AI. The Commission will also develop an AI strategy for Cultural and Creative Sectors focused on ensuring that AI enables and supports human creativity and that it contributes to safeguarding European cultural and linguistic diversity. In the future, the Commission will continue to examine opportunities and challenges related to the use of AI for creators and artists before deciding whether to propose potential further regulatory or legislative measures. 1 https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3364. 2 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142598#:~:text=This%20Outlook%20report%2C% 20prepared%20by%20the%20European%20Commission%E2%80%99s,of%20GenAI%20for%20innovation%2 C%20productivity%2C%20and%20societal%20change. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401689. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/1925/oj. 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0165. 6 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/consultations/commission-launches-public-consultation-and-callevidence-apply-ai-strategy.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content · Artificial Intelligence
• 2025-05-28 “E-002133/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 1. Directive 2014/40/EU 1 regulates electronic cigarettes and refill containers. Member States must ensure that these are placed on the market only if they comply with the Directive and all other relevant Union legislation such as the General Product Safety Regulation 2 . The increasing availability of electronic cigarettes among young people is being considered as part of the Commission’s ongoing evaluation of the tobacco-control framework, including concerns regarding young people’s access to novel tobacco and nicotine products. Furthermore, Council Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA 3 considers tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be a drug 4 and requires trafficking in drugs to be punishable as a crime. 2. Through Horizon Europe 5 , the Commission is supporting research projects on the impact and understanding of addiction to illicit substances, including THC. Horizon Europe offers a variety of funding opportunities for health research through competitive calls that are broadly defined and opened for innovative approaches to address specific call requirements 6 . 3. The ongoing evaluation of the tobacco-control framework involves considering a wide array of scientific, market and regulatory developments, including the emergence of new products and evolving marketing practices. The evaluation follows a structured and evidencebased approach in line with the Better Regulation guidelines. The next steps will depend on the findings of the evaluation. 1 Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products and repealing Directive 2001/37/EC: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/40/2023-10-23. 2 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/988/oj. 3 Council Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA of 25 October 2004 laying down minimum provisions on the constituent elements of criminal acts and penalties in the field of illicit drug trafficking, http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_framw/2004/757/2022-08-18. 4 See the definition in its Article 1(1)(a) and the reference to the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, under which THC is scheduled. 5 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-opencalls/horizon-europe_en. 6 All information about currently opened and upcoming funding opportunities for further research on THC and vape products, can be found through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal https://ec.europa.eu/info/fundingtenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home.”
  Electronic cigarettes · Cannabis consumption
• 2025-05-28 “E-002136/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission Under the Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 , providers of online platforms accessible to minors must ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors, and online advertisements targeted to minors based on profiling are banned. In addition, the DSA contains strong provisions to protect public health and consumers. Providers of very large online platforms and very large search engines are required to diligently identify, assess, analyse and mitigate the systemic risks stemming from the design, functioning and use made of their services in relation to the dissemination of illegal content 2 , to high-level of consumer protection, to negative effects to the protection of minors and public health, and to the person’s physical and mental well-being. The Commission has published guidelines 3 to aid providers of online platforms accessible to minors describing measures to comply with their obligation under Article 28(1) of the DSA, 4 including to tackle unrealistic beauty standards and the marketing of products or services impacting physical and mental health. The Commission has initiated proceedings against TikTok and Meta and has sent requests of information to YouTube, including in relation to the protection of minors obligations 5 . The Commission is planning an EU-wide inquiry on the broader impacts of social media on mental health. In addition, within the framework of the Consumer Protection Cooperation 6 , the Commission and national consumer authorities scrutinize influencers active on social media platforms 7 , including in the beauty, food, and sport sectors. The results of the sweep 2023 on influencers 8 showed that 21% of selected posts 9 promoted unhealthy or hazardous activities, such as medical or aesthetic treatments. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng. 2 Including illegal and unsafe products. 3 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-publishes-guidelines-protection-minors. 4 I.e. to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors on their service. 5 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses. 6 (CPC) Regulation 2017/2394. 7 Including on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other social media platforms. 8 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_708. 9 119 posts of influencers out of 576.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.) · Nutrition
• 2025-05-28 “E-002131/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission’s digital transformation is guided by its Cloud Strategy 1 , prioritizing a secure hybrid multi-cloud approach. This approach is delivered through private cloud infrastructure under full Commission control, ensuring digital autonomy, resilience and mitigating vendor lock-in, with operators awarded via EU-compliant procurement procedures. Commission contracts have been awarded to different EU-based providers, including providers without corporate ties to the United States and the Commission uses open-source software. To avoid dependency, 85% of workloads run in the Commission’s private cloud. The remaining 15%, managing non-confidential data, are equally distributed among Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL (AWS), Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, and OVHcloud. Contracts with AWS and Microsoft are valid until 2030 and 2031. The Commission has opted for SAP in its financial system. Since 2014, cloud and software framework contracts 2 have incorporated award criteria reflecting European digital sovereignty initiatives, like SecNumCloud, resulting in a contract awarded to OVHcloud. The Commission has recently engaged in the procurement of opensource tools like SIMPL 3 . The Single Market Strategy 4 reaffirms the Commission’s commitment to review the EU public procurement framework, potentially introducing European preference criteria for key technologies and sectors. The Commission remains committed to leveraging forthcoming legislative instruments to strengthen EU digital sovereignty and foster innovative services. The Cloud and AI Development Act 5 will ensure secure EU-based capacity for critical needs, backed by an EUwide cloud policy for public administrations and public procurement. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/european-commission-cloud-strategy_en. 2 For example, Cloud III or SIDE III. 3 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/simpl. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0500 (presented on 21 May 2025). 5 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/ai-continent-action-plan.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty · Digitalization of public governance & administration
• 2025-05-28 “E-002134/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission Article 1(1)(b) (aa) of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) provides a definition of ‘video-sharing platform services’ 1 . Additionally, the Commission issued guidelines accompanying this definition 2 . It is the competence of national regulatory authorities to identify video-sharing platform services on this basis. In Ireland, the media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has identified YouTube, TikTok and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram as video-sharing platforms under Irish jurisdiction. It is primarily the competence of national regulatory authorities to enforce the national rules transposing the AVMSD, including those focusing on the protection of minors. The Commission continues to closely monitor the implementation and enforcement of the AVMSD in the Member States, namely regarding the obligations of video-sharing platform providers related to the protection of minors. Under the Digital Services Act (‘DSA’) 3 , very large online platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram are obliged to assess and mitigate systemic risks, including the risks related to the design of online interfaces which exploit the weaknesses and inexperience of minors or which may cause addictive behaviour. The Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok and Meta over suspicion that such risks may not be adequately addressed 4 . Under the DSA the Commission has published guidelines on the protection of minors that assist providers of online platforms in providing a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors 5 . Lastly, the Commission is planning an EU-wide inquiry on the broader impacts of social media and excessive screen time on people, especially young people, and their wellbeing and mental health 6 . 1 Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services in view of changing market realities. 2 Guidelines on the practical application of the essential functionality criterion of the definition of a ‘videosharing platform service’ under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng. 4 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses. 5 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-publishes-guidelines-protection-minors. 6 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b628b5a2-ac1e-4b9c-bbdd35b82da0ac6b_en?filename=mission-letter-varhelyi.pdf.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2025-04-09 “E-001454/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen On behalf of the European Commission The Commission has taken, and continues to take, swift and decisive action in relation to the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 . As part of its enforcement actions, the Commission has opened several formal proceedings including those mentioned in the question of the Honourable Member. Additionally, the Commission sent requests for information to providers of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) regarding their compliance with the DSA, issued data retention orders, conducted regulatory dialogues and engaged with experts and civil society organisations 2 . The Commission pursues the open investigations under the DSA as a matter of priority. However, the Commission cannot comment on the findings of ongoing investigations, which remain confidential until a decision is taken as a result of those proceedings. Every investigation is pursued thoroughly taking into account the due process, the rights of all parties involved and the complexity of the legal and technical aspects of the case. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) OJ L277/1. 2 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-enforcement.”
  Recommender systems · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2025-02-07 “E-000565/2025 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware that different practices exist in Member States as regards the inspection of cargo securing, which is linked to the fact that Directive 2014/47/EU 1 does not make such inspections mandatory. Nonetheless, Annex III of the Directive sets out the principles of cargo securing, including relevant standards, and common rules on the inspection of cargo securing (including the classification and assessment of deficiencies), if such checks are applied. Inadequate securing of cargo sometimes leads to serious accidents, hence, when detected, such deficiencies must be corrected, which may involve the temporary restriction or prohibition of the use of the vehicle (cf. Article 14 of the Directive). Such restrictions appear thus to be justified based on the overriding public interest of road safety. The Commission has considered the effects of diverging national practices in the Impact Assessment that will accompany the proposal for the revision of the Directive. The Commission proposal is expected to be adopted in the coming weeks. Certain generally applicable physical formulae are already referred to in Annex III of the Directive as well as in the 2014 best practices guidelines on cargo securing for road transport 2 . The various standards listed in Annex III of the Directive and in the best practice guidelines relate to different aspects of cargo securing, such as the calculation of lashing forces, lashing points, various forms of securing the cargo, as well as transport packaging etc. 1 Directive 2014/47/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union and repealing Directive 2000/30/EC, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/47/2022-09-27 2 European Commission: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, Cargo securing for road transport – 2014 European best practices guidelines, Publications Office, 2014, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2832/80373”
  EU policy on aviation safety
• 2025-02-07 “E-000566/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 1. The Commission’s extensive work on food labelling—including scientific studies, public consultations, and targeted surveys— has confirmed the complexity of this issue and highlighted the challenges of reaching common solutions. The Commission remains committed to working with Member States and stakeholders to engage in a comprehensive dialogue on the lifelong prevention of non-communicable diseases. This includes addressing food reformulation, the impacts of ultra-processed products, and the effects of certain food marketing practices on the most vulnerable consumers. 2. The Commission is committed to guaranteeing the safety of consumers, provide transparent information, and respect the right of the citizens to make informed choices. Clear, accurate and easy to understand information on food products is essential. Food information shall not mislead the consumer, nor be ambiguous or confusing for the consumer. These principles are already enshrined in EU food labelling rules 1 . The Commission will continue to ensure they are upheld. 3. The Commission has taken careful note of the report of the European Court of Auditors on food labelling in the EU 2 . 1 Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 - OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18. 2 www.eca.europa.eu/ECAPublications/SR-2024-23/SR-2024-23_EN.pdf”
  Nutrition · Food labelling harmonisation at EU level
• 2025-02-07 “E-000564/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission Protection of vulnerable groups in the digital sphere is of great importance for the Commission. The Communication on mental health supports youth mental health including in the digital sphere 1 . The Political Guidelines for the Commission 2024-2029 2 point to the launching of an EU-wide inquiry on the impacts of social media on mental health and wellbeing, focusing on young people. The Guidelines also point to the adoption of a renewed lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) equality strategy post2025 and to an action plan against cyberbullying 3 . In addition, the Roadmap for Women’s Rights stresses the objective of protecting women and girls online 4 . Children are active online consumers and often early adopters of new technologies. The Digital Services Act 5 requires the providers of online platforms accessible to minors to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security of minors on their service. It also requires designated providers of very large online platforms and very large online search engines to diligently identify, analyse and assess systemic risks stemming from their services, including negative effects on minors and to adopt reasonable, proportionate and effective measures to mitigate such risks. In addition, EU consumer protection laws protect minors as vulnerable consumers, for example when they are subjected to advertisements or make in-game purchases in video games. A forthcoming proposal for a Digital Fairness Act that the Commission aims to present in the second half of 2026 will focus on strengthening the protection of minors. It will tackle matters such as dark patterns, addictive design, misleading influencer marketing and unfair personalisation practices 6 . 1 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-waylife/european-health-union/comprehensive-approach-mental-health_en 2 https://commission.europa.eu/document/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en 3 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf. 4 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/7d965089-e332-473a-88a9e246f214e3bf_en?filename=Gender%20Equality%20Roadmap%20-%20Annex.pdf 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng 6 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/707d7404-78e5-4aef-acfa82b4cf639f55_en?filename=Commission%20Staff%20Working%20Document%20Fitness%20Check%20on%2 0EU%20consumer%20law%20on%20digital%20fairness.pdf”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online · EU policy on mental health · Recommender systems
• 2025-02-07 “E-000563/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The protection of minors online is a priority area for the Commission. The Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health 1 supports young people's mental health including in the digital sphere 2 . The Commission plans to carry out an EU-wide inquiry on the broader impacts of social media on mental health and wellbeing, focusing on young people 3 . Under the Digital Services Act (DSA) 4 , the Commission does not regulate content, but providers of intermediary services are required to conduct risk assessments, considering actual or foreseeable risks stemming from the functioning and design of their services; and are required to put in place effective mitigation measures. In particular, platforms accessible to minors must ensure a high level of privacy and safety. The Better Internet for Kids Strategy (BIK+) will also monitor platforms’ unethical techniques, such as addictive design, and support carers and educators 5 . Member States are required by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive 6 (AVMSD) to ensure that audiovisual services providers put in place defined measures to protect minors from programmes and content which may impair their physical, mental or moral development. The Commission is supporting EU citizens, including children, to stay mentally healthy as a priority within Horizon Europe 7 with several research actions 8 . For the development of the next Horizon Europe work programme 9 , the Commission is also reflecting on the negative impact of digital technologies on children’s mental health. Finally, the Commission is working with Member States for the preparation of a European partnership on brain health whose scope will also include research and innovation actions to understand and promote children’s mental health. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-waylife/european-health-union/comprehensive-approach-mental-health_en 2 https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6317c605-5f5d-4d4f-9c8a-d5c93e869814_en? 3 https://commission.europa.eu/priorities-2024-2029_en 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng 5 https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/news/better-internet-kids-annual-report-2024-out 6 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:am0005 7 Horizon Europe, the funding programme for research and innovation; https://research-andinnovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en 8 https://cordis.europa.eu/search?q=frameworkProgramme%3D%27HORIZON%27%2C%27H2020%27%20AN D%20(%27mental%27%20AND%20%27health%27%20AND%20%27children%27)&p=1&num=10&srt=Rele vance:decreasing 9 Clusters 1 and 2.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content · Safety features & content control for child protection online
• 2025-01-28 “E-000378/2025 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas on behalf of the European Commission In line with the commitment in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy 1 , the Commission is working on the revision of the Roadworthiness Package, comprising three Directives on the periodic technical inspection (PTI) of motor vehicles (2014/45/EU) 2 , technical roadside inspection of heavy commercial vehicles (2014/47/EU) 3 , and vehicle registration documents (1999/37/EC amended by 2014/46/EU) 4 . These existing rules require adaptation to take account of technological developments (e.g. as regards electric vehicles, modern emission control systems, advanced driver assistance systems). The proposals will also contain measures to further address the issue of odometer fraud, an issue of particular and longstanding concern to the European Parliament. In relation to the national schemes to combat odometer manipulation in Belgium and the Netherlands, there is nothing to prevent other Member States from implementing similar schemes at national level. Revision of the Roadworthiness Package is a clear priority for the Commission. Work is at a very advanced stage, and it is expected to have proposals adopted in the coming weeks. In addition, the Commission supported the introduction of anti-tampering and accuracy requirements for odometers in UN Regulation No. 39 5 , in the context of the anti-tampering requirements of the Euro 7 Regulation 6 . Compliance to the provisions of this type-approval regulation will be a prerequisite for registration of vehicles on the EU market. 1 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/eu-mobility-transport-achievements-2019-2024/sustainablesmart-mobility_en 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/45/oj/eng 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/47/oj/eng 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0046 5 Proposal for 02 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 39 (Speedometer and Odometer) for consideration by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations in its 195th session (https://unece.org/transport/documents/2024/12/working-documents/grsg-proposal-02-series-amendments-unregulation-no). 6 Regulation (EU) 2024/1457 on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7).”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2025-01-28 “E-000380/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is committed to further harmonising EU legislation on food contact materials (FCMs), as indicated in its announcement to revise the legislation 1 . The Commission has recognised the need to significantly reduce the current EU limits for lead and cadmium allowed to transfer into food from ceramic materials, to widen the scope to other types of materials including glass and enamels, and to consider limits for other metals to safeguard public health. The Commission has already carried out a significant body of work on this initiative, including the development of adequate methodologies for testing 2 , an inception impact assessment 3 and direct stakeholder dialogue as well as technical discussions with Member States. Further preparatory work for the initiative is ongoing, which is highly complex and requires further consultations with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the coherence of requirements across different types of FCMs, in particular the approach to regulating particularly hazardous substances but considering also the potential impacts on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and producers using traditional production techniques. 1 https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/chemical-safety/food-contact-materials/revision-eu-rules_en 2 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC102075 3 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/2074-Food-safety-heavy-metals-inceramic-glass-and-enameled-table-and-kitchenware_en”
  Mercury
• 2025-01-28 “E-000379/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission Article 4 (1)(a) of Directive 2004/113/EC 1 implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of sex, meaning that men and women are to be treated equally in comparable situations, including as consumers. Member States have an important role in implementing this provision, as gender-based pricing might differ across Member States. This legislation prohibits discrimination in access to goods, and the Commission monitors the correct application and enforcement of the existing EU legislation on gender equality in Member States and supports them in the proper implementation of existing rules. As regards possible future actions, with the implementation period of the current Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 2 ending this year, the Commission has launched preparatory work towards a new Gender Equality Strategy post 2025. This includes several studies by networks of gender equality experts, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and dedicated input from the European Institute for Gender Equality, having in mind also assessment of existing gaps. Furthermore, an open public consultation will be launched in spring 2025. The next strategy will be prepared taking into account the results of this broad consultation. 1 OJ L 373, 21.12.2004, p. 37–43. 2 COM(2020) 152 final of 5 March 2020.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• 2025-01-28 “E-000381/2025 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas On behalf of the European Commission In line with its commitment in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy 1 , the Commission is working on the revision of the Roadworthiness Package, comprising three Directives on the periodic technical inspection (PTI) of motor vehicles (2014/45/EU) 2 , the technical roadside inspection of heavy commercial vehicles (2014/47/EU) 3 , and vehicle registration documents (1999/37/EC as amended by 2014/46/EU) 4 . The existing rules require adaptation to technological development (e.g. the advent of electric vehicles, modern emission control systems and advanced driver assistance systems). Further, new vehicles should be tested to ensure that all crucial safety and emission control systems work satisfactorily throughout the vehicles’ lifetime. In addition, the proposals will contain technical provisions to allow for access to in-vehicle data specific to the needs of roadworthiness testing, as well as measures to further address the issue of odometer fraud, an issue of particular concern to the European Parliament. Revision of the Roadworthiness Package is a clear priority for the Commission. Work is at a very advanced stage, and it is expected that the relevant proposals will be adopted in the coming months. 1 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/eu-mobility-transport-achievements-2019-2024/sustainablesmart-mobility_en 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/45/oj/eng 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/47/oj/eng 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0046”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2025-01-28 “E-000382/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission Substantial financial means are available at the EU level to support local and regional authorities in implementing the objectives of the European Green Deal. About one third of all 2021-2027 cohesion policy funding, more than EUR 110 billion, will be invested in the green transition. The mid-term review of programmes for 2021-2027 provides an opportunity to address emerging priorities, boost implementation and make strategic choices on the best use of available resources, including on actions of the Green Deal. The Commission is striving to support local and regional authorities in responding to climate and environmental challenges in alignment with the EU priorities. The funds should support types of activities that comply with the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle. Moreover, a comprehensive EU Agenda for Cities is being prepared to take stock of the existing support tools with a view to streamlining them to improve synergies and achieve greater impact. The Agenda will focus on ensuring that cities have active participation in the design and implementation of relevant policy initiatives. For post-2027, a simpler, and more impactful long-term budget would help improve synergies and efficiency of EU policies. The Commission will continue working closely with the Committee of the Regions including with its ‘Green Deal Going Local’ task force, with a view to jointly implementing the future EU Agenda for Cities that is in making.”
  EU policy on urban development · Cohesion and rural funding
• 2025-01-28 “E-00376/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Communication on a Comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce 1 proposes a series of measures to address challenges posed by e-commerce imports. In this regard, the Commission calls on the co-legislator to swiftly adopt the customs reform and to reinforce it with a handling fee on e-commerce parcels. Moreover, the Commission has proposed a priority control area on e-commerce imports shipped directly to consumers with the cooperation of market surveillance authorities. An EU regulatory framework is in place to prevent the presence of hazardous substances in textiles, including imported ones. Under the Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) 2 several substances are banned or restricted and others may follow should it be warranted. The Commission supports Member States’ efforts in enforcing the Regulation via the Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement 3 . Moreover, in line with the findings of its recent report 4 , on the application of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Regulation 5 the Commission is reflecting on a review of the Regulation in order to further strengthen the enforcement of EU consumer law. The Commission is also envisaging a revision of the Textile Labelling Regulation and new ecodesign requirements applicable to imported products. The Digital Services Act (DSA), through compliance by design 6 and risk management provisions 7 , aims to ensure that products sold on online marketplaces are compliant with relevant product safety and other legal requirements. The Commission opened respective investigative actions and initiated proceedings under the DSA 8 complemented by coordinated actions under the Consumer Protection Cooperation network 9 . 1 COM/2025/37 final. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/oj/eng. 3 https://echa.europa.eu/about-us/who-we-are/enforcement-forum The Forum aims to support Member States to increase compliance with the REACH and the Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (EC) 1272/2008. 4 Consumer reports show the need for strengthened enforcement at EU level https://commission.europa.eu/news/consumer-reports-show-need-strengthened-enforcement-eu-level-2024-07250_en#:~:text=The%20Biennial%20Report%20provides%20an%20overview%20of%20activities,biggest%20chal lenges%20for%20consumers%20in%20the%20near%20future. 5 L_2017345EN.01000101.xml. 6 Art. 31 DSA. 7 Articles 34 and 35 DSA. 8 Investigative actions in relation to SHEIN and Amazon and initiation of formal proceedings against AliExpress and Temu: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-sends-request-information-amazon-under-digitalservices-act. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-requests-information-online-marketplaces-temu-andshein-compliance-digital-services-act. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-opens-formal-proceedings-against-aliexpress-underdigital-services-act.”
  Liability for online marketplaces · EU policy on custom fee on non-EU imports
• 2025-01-28 “E-000377/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The initiative to review EU rules on textiles labelling 1 aims to: — ensure consumers have access to all relevant information in an accurate, intelligible and comparable manner, without any misleading information, through physical and digital labels; — reduce compliance costs for companies and ensure regulatory clarity and consistency, in line with current legislation and forthcoming regulatory developments; — introduce a single uniform set of rules on labelling requirements for textile products and non-textile apparel and clothing accessories. 2 The Commission is assessing the revision of the Textile Labelling Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 3 together with other legislative initiatives addressing the environmental impact of textiles and the proper display of information to consumers. A decision on the format and layout of the environmental labelling information shall be taken in line with the preparation of ecodesign requirements for textiles, as announced by the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles 4 , and the establishment of a common layout of labels for products regulated under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 5 . 1 See also https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13872-Textile-labelling-rulesrevision-_en 2 See Commission work programme 2023 - https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/strategydocuments/commission-work-programme/commission-work-programme-2023_en 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011R1007-20180215 4 Textiles strategy - European Commission - https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/textiles-strategy_en 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj/eng”
  Sustainable fashion · Circular economy · Green claims
• “Commissioner colleagues 188 subcontractors for a single site. And apparently this actually happens. So let us be clear about one thing. People who work under some subcontractors important. It's legitimate. And a lot of companies work correctly, and a lot of people make their money this way. But very often this is not the case. Remember the port of Antwerp, where a project, the borealis project, hundreds of workers were exploited. And this was not just an isolated situation. It's to many of the workers that pay the price. We want to make sure that this subcontracting model is simply a way to pay low wages and to exclude the unions. We need to make sure that workers are protected. But at the same time, our good companies need to be protected against disloyal competition. The Cowboys need to be kicked out. The Belgian model shows that a strict and fair impact can really have an effect, and this needs to be done at European level now. Thank you.”
  EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains
• “Thank you, chair and all of the colleagues also from the Commission for your comments. Um, maybe some other element that I haven't underlined just yet. Um, is that, um, we haven't been tabling amendments regarding the Commission's proposal to limit the time periods in which the money is being distributed to companies. Um, because this is actually, um, budget competence. So we don't table any amendments there. But we do think that it is important to underline there that the Parliament's role is not specifically, um, the one being targeted in this reduction of the periods in which the money is being distributed, but that we will discuss, I think, with the batch colleagues, how to look at this, um, at this part of the commission's proposal. Um, so, colleagues, I'm very happy to hear your comments. Uh, I look forward to your amendments later this week. Um, and I think we can find a swift agreement if I hear you. Uh, if you're here, your comments, I think we can, um, on the most and most important and political topics, we can. We can agree. So for the EP, it's crucial to find this balanced approach, uh, that ensures the support, uh, that the support reaches those who need it, uh, and that it doesn't put unnecessary burden on companies, on the other hand, who are already going, uh, undergoing restructuring. So I look forward to cooperating with everyone in this Parliament, with the commission, with the Council, of course, in a further process. And I believe that everyone supports here the same goals, And now we will look into the best ways to operationalize. Operationalize this. Thank you.”
  Conditions to access EU budget
• “Thank you, chair, for giving me the floor. As I already mentioned during our previous exchange on this revision. We welcome this Commission's proposal because in times of economic challenges through trade tensions, the digital and green transition, the EGF is more relevant than ever. Um, to protect both the strategic independence of the European Union and European jobs enterprise closures and redundancies. These should be avoided at all costs and therefore broadening the scope through allowing for proactive, specific and targeted support for workers in companies undergoing restructuring. That makes sense, but however, we did propose some changes to the Commission's proposal. First, we need to make sure that the money we have is being used in a way that supports our broader strategic goals. We want to make sure that the available EGF support goes to companies whose restructuring processes strengthen the digital and green transition, and that the support goes to the workers affected by imminent job displacements. This safeguards the use of public funds and ensure that the EGF becomes a tool not only of mitigation but also of transformation. And the second change that we proposed is to broaden the scope to make sure that also suppliers and downstream users can be eligible for proactive EGF support because given the complex interdependencies in modern value change.”
  European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
• “Yes. Thank you chair. I will try not to repeat myself, and especially not the elements that the Commission has already replied to, which is clear to me that we have to keep the ETS two system. It might be a surprise, but it is absolutely necessary for me. But there's another truth to this, of course, which has already been said that it may, uh, that the prices may rise, um, as a consequence of this. And social climate plans will be essential to ensure this socially just transition, and not only for the most vulnerable, but also for the middle class families. This is important. Um, and as already said, the member states must deliver on this. Only two is far too less of having a climate social climate plan. But if we talk about ETS two, we need the money. We need the revenues. And the commission already replied to the questions saying, um, do these revenues need to be, um, do they need to finance climate, uh, measures? Of course, yes they do. But does the Commission also think that, um, the revenues will suffice to counter any negative effects? In the past, the commission said that the means would suffice, but do you still think that this is the case? And then regarding Ets2, we read today in the commission's president's letter that the commission is also looking for other ways of financing to enable member states to have access to financial means faster. This regards the frontloading of ets2 revenues of which I am in favour. Which is important to me, is the question to the Commission is this possible without opening existing directives or regulations? Thank you.”
  Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
• “It is not okay that their high management and their executive board is not present here today. It's no respect to our House, and I deeply regret that they don't send a representative from their executive board to be here with us today. Um, on the other hand, like I've already said, of course I thank all the president, the present workers representatives for their time and their valuable insights. And I hope because optimism is a moral duty, that we can in the future, exchange on a higher level with board members of Amazon like the CEO and the GST, because that is crucial if you want to proceed in having normal working conditions in Amazon. And I want to talk about two things, uh, regarding Amazon here today. On the first hand, the, uh, abnormal amount of tracking, registering digitally, um, uh, registering the way their workers, uh, work in their in at Amazon. That is the first thing that I want to talk about. And the second thing is the safety at work at Amazon because also that is very, very worrying. Um, Amazon has been the subject of criticism from a number of variety of actors, um, regarding antitrust violations, tech tax dodging, environmental negligence and union busting.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• “These often smaller companies can also be affected by restructuring events, and since they are already covered in the current regulation, it is a viable path to explore to include them in the proactive part two. This, of course, can be done in multiple ways. We look forward in hearing of other groups, their view on this extension, and to find a balanced approach together here. Thirdly, the draft report highlights the importance of early and meaningful involvement of workers and their representatives when drafting the targeted packages. Applicable national legislation on social dialogue should be respected in the process. Transparency and fairness throughout the process is essential. And then we have some other minor changes that include some proposals to reduce administrative burdens for companies and member states. So in summary, we again welcome the Commission's proposal and the additions that we made respond to both evolving nature of job displacement and the union's strategic priorities. And they aim to make the EGF more inclusive, future oriented and integrated with EU social and industrial policy, and ensuring that it remains a vital mechanism for supporting workers in transition. Thank you.”
  European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
• “Because Amazon workers are continuously monitored through hand scanners, cameras, GPS enabled apps, and that data is being used to set very high performance targets, and it creates a climate of fear and pressure for the workers. So an analysis and surveys have shown that the workers say about this that they feel stressed, pressured, anxious. I feel like a slave or a robot. And this, of course, has an extremely negative impact on their physical and mental health. And in January 2024, already, the French data protection authority finds Amazon with €32 million, a penalty because they have an excessively intrusive surveillance system. And this was in breach with the French general data protection rules. Another concern that I've already mentioned is the safety at work, according to a 2025 analysis. It seems that Amazon's serious injury rate is the double of that of comparable non Amazon warehouses to double their colleagues. And this is not a coincidence. It is a pattern. There is a prior authorization at Amazon for speed and efficiency. Efficiency. And this has serious implications on working environment and the mental health of employees. And this is not a working model that we can accept in the EU. So we need to address these deep structural and deep rooted issues within Amazon.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• “I want to close with a question because this is a Q&A. Thank you chair. Um, in Belgium, subcontracted Amazon drivers have been fired through WhatsApp last year through WhatsApp, with hundreds of them losing their job from one day to another. And my understanding is there have also been dismissals of experienced workers who were replaced with temporary agencies in Poland. Could you tell us more about this? Thank you.”
  EU policy on employment subcontracting · EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains