Priority question for written answer P-004940/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Biljana Borzan (S&D), Peter Agius (PPE)

The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety held a public hearing on 3 December 2025 regarding the food safety risks linked to energy drink consumption by minors. During the hearing, paediatric experts, clinicians, nutrition specialists and civil society organisations presented converging evidence of significant and well-documented health risks associated with energy drinks among children and adolescents. These include sleep disturbances, elevated blood pressure, cardiac irregularities, anxiety, behavioural changes, and increased risk-taking, as well as the growing phenomenon of mixing energy drinks with alcohol.

In the light of this, can the Commission indicate whether it will ask the European Food Safety Authority to update its scientific opinion on the health effects of energy drink consumption on minors, including:

• 1.A reassessment of the risks of caffeine and other stimulants, specifically for children and adolescents?
• 2.The cumulative effect of energy drinks in combination with sugar, alcohol and other stimulants, as well as the impact of early and repeated exposure to energy drinks on developmental, neurological and behavioural outcomes?
• 3.The public health consequences of marketing practices for energy drinks that target minors.

Submitted: 15.12.2025