This Week in Healthcare — Brussels (#11, 2026)
Commission approves Latvia’s RRF health reforms; Parliament debates medicine supply security; New rules on PFAS, pharmaceuticals in water; Regulation on Echinococcus multilocularis adopted.
March 22, 2026 to March 28, 2026
Commission approves Latvia’s RRF health reforms; Parliament debates medicine supply security; New rules on PFAS, pharmaceuticals in water; Regulation on Echinococcus multilocularis adopted.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🏛️ European Parliament
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
European Commission
Commission approves Latvia's €371 million payment request under NextGenerationEU, including healthcare reforms
On 25 March 2026, the European Commission approved Latvia’s fourth payment request for €371 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the key instrument of NextGenerationEU. The Commission’s positive assessment confirms Latvia’s completion of 24 milestones and 17 targets, including reforms in health. Measures in this tranche include the introduction of a transparent healthcare remuneration model to standardise wage calculations for medical staff and a modernised cancer care framework, with new methodological guidelines to improve treatment standards. These funds also support digitalisation and research, but the health component is a central justification for the disbursement. The Economic and Financial Committee of the Council will now review Latvia's progress before the Commission’s payment decision is finalised.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134 amends rules for surveillance and disease-free status on Echinococcus multilocularis
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134, published in the Official Journal on 27 March 2026 (CELEX: 32026R0134), amends Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 to update surveillance and disease-free status requirements for infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis. The regulation enters into force on 22 April 2026 and maintains provisions for disease-free recognition, adapting them with practical experience. It aligns with the cessation of transitional arrangements related to non-commercial movement of pet animals and aims to prevent the spread of E. multilocularis to disease-free areas in the Union.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/721 updates emergency measures for highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/721 of 20 March 2026 (CELEX: 32026D0721), published on 24 March 2026, amends the Annex to Decision (EU) 2023/2447 by updating emergency measures for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in certain Member States. The decision reflects new outbreaks in Czechia, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, and Poland, as well as in Austria and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland). It details the extension of protection and surveillance zones, with dates for the application of these measures set in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. The decision entered into force immediately upon publication.
European Parliament
Parliament debates implementation of Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and risks to security of supply of medicines
On 26 March 2026, the European Parliament held a plenary debate on the implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and the associated risks to the security of supply of medicines (2026/2652(RSP)). The oral question addressed concerns about pharmaceutical contamination and the resilience of medicine supply chains. The vote on the resolution is scheduled for April 2026.
EP Committee Work
Joint FEMM and SANT committees hold hearing on menopause care in the EU
On 24 March 2026, the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the Committee on Public Health (SANT) held a joint public hearing on menopause care in the EU. The session featured experts including Prof. Dr. Petra Stute (EMAS), Anna Samsel (Kulczyk Foundation), Dr. Ludwig Kiesel (University of Münster), and Dr. Gabriella Conti (UCL). The hearing addressed the social, workplace, and health system impacts of menopause, the need for EU-level coordination, and the lack of standardised care and information across Member States. The discussion drew on recent Polish research into menopause at work and in society, highlighting data gaps and the importance of awareness-raising and support measures at national and EU levels.
What We're Reading This Week
- Italian woman dies after self-administering a lethal drug with an eye-controlled device: A terminally ill Italian woman used an eye-controlled device to end her life, highlighting ongoing right-to-die debates in Italy.
- World Tuberculosis Day: 1 out of 5 cases in Europe go undetected: A significant portion of tuberculosis cases in Europe remain undiagnosed, posing ongoing challenges for public health efforts.
- Meta and YouTube made addictive products that harmed youth, jury finds: A jury concluded Meta and YouTube are liable for creating platforms that negatively impacted young users' mental health.
- EU Chemicals Agency backs sweeping 'forever chemicals' ban: EU regulators advance major restrictions on PFAS, signaling a potential phaseout of thousands of persistent industrial chemicals.
- Noelia Castillo’s TV interview hours before her euthanasia: Noelia Castillo shared her reasons and reflections on choosing euthanasia in a candid TV interview shortly before her death.
