Written question to the European Commission

The intensity, speed and potential long-term consequences of the current energy crisis are cause for concern. To tackle the crisis, the EU Council has developed a toolkit to help households and businesses in the short term and asked the Commission to make best use of it, while at the same time considering medium- and long-term measures to mitigate excessive price volatility, increase the EU’s energy resilience and ensure a successful transition to a green economy.

1. Given the exceptional pace of developments, does the Commission believe that the proposed toolkit contains levers which will enable Member States alone to address the energy crisis and the knock-on increase in the prices of all other goods effectively and in a timely manner?

2. Is the Commission considering the possibility of developing and adopting a common plan to mitigate the impact of the crisis as soon as possible if national governments’ responses prove insufficient to contain the emergency?

3. Can the Commission ensure that any uncoordinated or slow response by individual Member States to the current crisis will not slow down investment in the green transition at EU-wide level?

Answer given by Commissioner Simson on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission toolbox includes immediate actions such as direct support, tax reductions, avoidance of grid disconnections, deferral of payments, better coordination on energy poverty measures and measures to support the most targeted, including small and medium sized enterprises. Emissions trading system revenues can finance some of these measures. To prepare for the future, the toolbox also includes medium-term measures to boost renewable energy, energy efficiency and buildings’ energy performance, consumer empowerment, and the EU energy system’s resilience, thus mitigating fossil fuel prices hikes. The EUR 72.2 billion of the tabled Social Climate Fund would support these investments in the case of the most vulnerable.

The Commission is monitoring the surge in energy prices very closely across the EU and its impact on citizens and businesses. The toolbox is available for Member States to make tailored use of and the Commission is ready to assist where needed. The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub will support local authorities to implement concrete projects that tackle energy poverty.

The Commission Communication made clear that the problem stems not from existing green policies but from the fact that the green transition is not yet in full swing. It calls for stepping up the efforts to deliver on the green transition, increasing the EU’s energy autonomy and reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. The toolbox does not provide for a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, but instead proposes a set of consistent measures, avoiding uncoordinated actions that could be harmful in the context of the internal market. The necessary EU funding is also available to avoid disruptions in the green investment.

Written question to the European Commission

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 84 million people were affected by mental illness in the EU, a number which has undoubtedly increased since. The pandemic and subsequent economic crisis have placed a great burden on individuals and their mental well-being, as evidenced by the higher rates of stress, anxiety and depression. The disruptions to healthcare systems have significantly contributed to the decline in mental health, and women, young people, people in lower-income groups and people living with psychosocial disabilities are among those who have been disproportionately affected.

The mental health challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic is getting more and more complex, and without urgent action by the EU and its Member States, it will continue to have immediate and long-term consequences, including on healthcare systems. The Council of Ministers called for the development of a comprehensive European Mental Health Strategy in 2019, as did Parliament in its 2020 resolution on the EU’s public health strategy post-COVID-19, yet little progress has been made since.

1. When will the Commission present a comprehensive, long-term and human rights-compliant European Mental Health Strategy?

2. How will it minimise disparities between Member States in terms of access, treatment, and the affordability of mental health services?

3. How will it support the increasing need for the prevention of mental illness?

Answer given by Commissioner Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission is concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Europeans. In spring 2020, the Commission opted for a pragmatic approach to respond to the challenge, engaging with mental health specialists, professional associations, healthcare representatives and patient groups. The priority is to identify promising initiatives and practices that could be implemented in the short term.

A dedicated web space within the EU Health Policy Platform was created to support stakeholders, which now gathers over eighty participants. Following an initial mapping exercise, a first webinar to share expertise and actions was organised in October 2020.

In addition, t he Commission hosted a highly impactful conference on the mental health impact of COVID 19 on 10 May 2021. Access to prevention and treatment, and promising practices to mitigate the impact of the pandemic were part of the programme.

The 2021 EU4health work programme includes EUR 750 000 for the co-funding of the implementation of best practices to tackle mental health challenges during COVID-19.

While prevention and medical care in the area of mental health is a responsibility that rests with the Member States, the Commission will continue to encourage the exchange of knowledge and the implementation of best practices in these areas.

Written question to the European Commission

During the debate on government attempts to silence free media in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia, Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said that the Commission is ‘considering coming up with new measures and new tools’ to address these issues and that competition policy ‘is so important in my view to change because we have to capture the cases of mergers of the media at the national level, which go against the freedom of expression and freedom of media.’

Commissioner Thierry Breton later announced that the Commission was considering a ‘European Media Freedom Act to complement our legislative arsenal in order to ensure that media freedom and pluralism are the pillars of our democracies.’

We are seeing national merger control processes being increasingly used as an additional tool to silence free media. For example, the Polish competition authority (UOKiK) recently prohibited the acquisition of Eurozet, a Polish radio group, by Agora, a Polish media group known for its critical stance on the Polish Government, while approving the takeover of newspaper publisher Polska Press by the state-backed oil company PKN Orlen.

Is the Commission concerned about such developments and will it take action to further address them in its forthcoming European Media Freedom Act?

Answer given by Commissioner Breton on behalf of the European Commission

Media freedom, pluralism and independence are essential for democracy and the rule of law and for the well-functioning of the internal market for media.

The European Democracy Action Plan recognises the need to continuously strengthen media freedom and pluralism in order to build more resilient democracies across the EU and puts forward several measures to this end. The Media and Audiovisual Action Plan sets out investment and policy actions to help Europe’s media to be resilient and remain competitive at European and global levels.

The Commission is aware that recent developments in some Member States affecting ownership, management or operation of certain media outlets point to increasing political interference in the media sector that could create barriers in the EU media market, undermining at the same time fundamental European values.

The 2021 Rule of Law Report refers to several such developments, including the acquisition of Polska Press by PKN Orlen, which has raised concerns as a potential threat to media market pluralism.

The Commission is currently reflecting on further reinforcing the EU media framework with a potential new tool — the European Media Freedom Act.

The purpose of this initiative could be to increase transparency, independence and accountability of actions affecting media markets and media freedom and pluralism within the EU, thereby enhancing legal certainty and eliminating obstacles to internal market freedoms.

Written question to the European Council

The European public and the people of the Western Balkans have been perturbed by the recent publication of a so-called ‘non-paper’ which apparently included the idea of a peaceful break-up of Bosnia-Herzegovina and other border changes, recalling the crazed nationalist ideologies of the 1990s. According to media reports, the document in question, drafted with the participation of certain Member States, was forwarded by the Slovenian Government to the EU Council. Given that any redrawing of borders could lead to further bloodshed in the region and would mean the total collapse of an approach to the region’s problems which is based on convergence with the EU, we would like to ask:

1. Did the EU Council receive such a document? It may be a diplomatic tool but we urge you nonetheless, given the consequences of the existence of the document, which poses a threat to peace and stability in the region as well as to the security of the EU itself, to unequivocally reject or confirm it and thus put a stop to the dangerous processes that have already begun in the region.

2. What is the EU Council’s position as regards the contents of the published documents, in particular the ideas about changing borders in the region, including the idea of creating a so-called third entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina?

3. How will the EU Council promote a European path for the region, and in particular for Bosnia-Herzegovina, so that it is based on the principles of citizens’ democratic rights and the rule of law?

Answer given by the European Council

It is not for the Council to comment on articles appearing in the media, or on any specific positions or initiatives taken by Member States.

On a general note, the Council reiterates its unequivocal commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a single, united and sovereign country. This is a position expressed in the Council conclusions of 10 December 2019 and which has subsequently and repeatedly been reaffirmed.

With regard to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path, and in line with the Council conclusions of 12 October 2020, the Council has urged Bosnia and Herzegovina to make sustained efforts, in particular in relation to the implementation of the 14 key priorities set out in the Commission’s Opinion. These key priorities, focusing on the areas of democracy and functionality of the state, rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration reform, need to be fulfilled.

Written question to the European Commission

According to the agreement reached in August 2020 with the EU, AstraZeneca had been set to deliver about 80 million doses to the 27 EU Member States by March 2021.

In January 2021, AstraZeneca declared that because of production problems and the resulting supply constraints, the number of initial doses for EU Member States would be reduced.

According to a report in the British newspaper The Telegraph, however, AstraZeneca may have cut supplies intended for EU countries in order to sell doses to other nations at higher prices.

At the same time, Pfizer announced on 15 January that it was temporarily reducing deliveries of vaccines to the EU until late January while it upgraded production facilities. As a result, vaccinations in some parts of the EU are being held up and, in some cases, completely halted.

1. What measures, including legal action if needed, will the Commission take to find out exactly how many doses have been produced by AstraZeneca and to whom they have been delivered?

2. Similarly, what measures will it take to ensure that pharmaceutical companies’ contractual obligations to the EU will be met with regard to the number of vaccines delivered, and to ensure that the contracts will be fully published?

Answer given by Commissioner Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission’s main objective is to ensure the speedy delivery of vaccines in line with the Advanced Purchase Agreements (APAs).

The Commission has worked to support and mitigate the difficulties associated with the rapid development of vaccines with funding provided through the APAs, but the Commission cannot anticipate delays if not advised in good time by the companies in question.

The APAs contain binding orders concerning both the number of vaccine doses to be delivered and the timing of deliveries. What matters is that the six companies fulfil their legal obligations.

In relation to AstraZeneca, the Commission has taken unprecedented measures and decided to bring legal proceedings against AstraZeneca for breach of the APA concluded with the company on 27 August 2020 for the supply of 300 million COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the second quarter of 2021.

The Commission is acting on its own behalf and on behalf of the 27 Member States, which fully aligned in support of the Commission on the need to ensure timely and effective implementation of the APA concluded with AstraZeneca.

The Commission is doing everything in its power to support the rollout of vaccines in Europe, including by increasing the availability of vaccines in the coming weeks and months.

The Commission and BioNTech-Pfizer have come to an agreement to accelerate the delivery of 60 million additional doses to the second quarter, increasing the total number of doses to be delivered in this quarter to 250 million.

The Commission is committed to transparency and accountability and has published the contracts concluded with AstraZeneca, CureVac, Sanofi-GSK, BioNTech/Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna — which are available in redacted form on the Commission’s website.