Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001083/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE), Mélissa Camara (Verts/ALE), Diana Riba i Giner (Verts/ALE), Majdouline Sbai (Verts/ALE), Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (S&D), Jaume Asens Llodrà (Verts/ALE), Manon Aubry (The Left), Estelle Ceulemans (S&D), Nicolae Ştefănuță (Verts/ALE), Sebastian Everding (The Left), Vladimir Prebilič (Verts/ALE), Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová (Renew), Billy Kelleher (Renew), Jessika Van Leeuwen (PPE), Mounir Satouri (Verts/ALE), Merja Kyllönen (The Left), Anthony Smith (The Left), Marie Toussaint (Verts/ALE), Marit Maij (S&D), Lucia Yar (Renew), Catarina Vieira (Verts/ALE), Pierre Jouvet (S&D), Maria Walsh (PPE), Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (Renew), Emma Fourreau (The Left), Irene Montero (The Left), Irena Joveva (Renew), Emma Rafowicz (S&D), Sigrid Friis (Renew), Murielle Laurent (S&D), Martin Schirdewan (The Left), Marc Angel (S&D), Gabriela Firea (S&D), Sara Matthieu (Verts/ALE), Elisabeth Grossmann (S&D), Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE), Benedetta Scuderi (Verts/ALE), Christophe Clergeau (S&D), Leila Chaibi (The Left)
Menstrual products in the EU are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulation[1], which does not establish specific standards and, in some cases, provides a lower level of requirements compared to jurisdictions outside the EU. Menstrual products are a distinct category due to their frequent and prolonged use – on average five days a month, every month, for approximately 40 years – in contact with vaginal skin, which is more permeable than general skin. Various independent studies have identified potentially hazardous substances in menstrual products. However, there is no harmonised analytical method within the EU for chemical analysis, or regulation of components used.
- 1.How does the Commission plan to address the specificities of menstrual products, given their prolonged and repeated use in contact with highly permeable vaginal skin, and would it consider creating a specific regulatory category for menstrual products, recognising their unique usage patterns and potential risks?
- 2.What measures will the Commission take to ensure that menstrual products include clear usage instructions to mitigate risks such as toxic shock syndrome, inflammation from added scents, and endocrine disruption?
- 3.Would the Commission support research on the composition and safety of menstrual products through EU programmes such as EU4Health, Horizon Europe or the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme?
Submitted: 12.3.2025
- [1] 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 OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/988/oj.