Pharmaceutical package

Background

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest and most economically important industries in the European Union, employing around 840 000 people directly and generating three times as much employment indirectly. In 2021, the industry invested an estimated EUR 41 billion in research and innovation.

This opinion from the European Economic and Social Committee covers the proposed revision of EU pharmaceuticals legislation and sets out measures to address antimicrobial resistance in the EU.

Overall, the EESC is very supportive of this long-awaited revamp and backs the European Commission's twin goal of making medicines more affordable and readily available while also ensuring that the industry remains competitive and attracts investment. The measures the EESC suggests embrace this spirit, aiming to maximise benefits for both patients and industry.

Key points

The EESC suggests:

• making more use of joint purchasing of medicines, which can take many shapes, to help ensure access to affordable treatment, which remain an issue;
• setting up a special EU-level fund to ensure access to treatment for all patients in Europe suffering from rare diseases, taking into account disparities in healthcare provision between Member States, such as when statutory health insurance does not cover the entire cost of treatment;
• offering incentives to favour drug manufacturers in the EU and encourage the relocation of production from non-EU countries in order to mitigate dependencies. It also proposes the establishment of a European contingency reserve of medicines of strategic importance.

Link to full opinion

Additional information

EESC section responsible: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)

Opinion type: mandatory consultation

Rapporteur: Martin SCHAFFENRATH  (Civil Society Organisations – AT)

References: COM(2023) 190 final COM(2023) 191 final 2023/0125 NLECOM(2023) 191 final 2023/0125 NLECOM(2023) 192 final 2023/0132 CODCOM(2023) 192 final 2023/0132 CODCOM(2023) 193 final 2023/0131 CODCOM(2023) 193 final 2023/0131 COD

Date of adoption by section: 03/10/2023

Result of the vote: 80 votes in favour, none against, with no abstentions.

Contacts

Press officer

Tel.: + 32 2 546 8422 | Mob: +32 475 99 94 32

email: daniela.marangoni@eesc.europa.eu

Policy officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 8188

email: radoslava.stefankova@eesc.europa.eu