News / Press Releases - September 24, 2024

Building a Competitive and Attractive Pharmaceutical Ecosystem in the EU

On Tuesday 24 September, Alexander Natz, Secretary General of the European Confederation of Pharmaceuticals Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE), sent a letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, and President of the European Council Charles Michel, outlining our vision for the future of the pharmaceutical ecosystem, with a focus on small and mid-sized developers.

Under EUCOPE’s initiative, 24 pharmaceutical companies have signed the letter calling on the EU Institutions and Member States to cooperate in building a competitive and attractive pharmaceutical ecosystem for innovation. At the start of a new institutional mandate, and as the EU looks at its competitiveness in the coming decades, it is crucial to equip the European healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors to tackle emerging challenges and seize new opportunities. We must support research and development of innovative and transformative treatments, while improving lives of patients in the EU and globally.

EUCOPE underscores the need for a future-proofed regulatory framework, a holistic approach to access policies, support to public-private partnerships, and addressing the root causes of medicine shortages. Moreover, the EU needs a comprehensive Rare Disease Framework to ensure a coordinated approach to rare diseases across various policy fields.

These policies, and a host of other legislative initiatives shaping the broader industrial landscape, will determine the future EU competitiveness and attractiveness for innovative pharmaceutical companies, especially small and mid-sized ones.

Alexander Natz – EUCOPE Secretary General stated: 

“The EU’s pharmaceutical industry requires a strong, predictable investment and industrial ecosystem to stay globally competitive. The inclusion of the pharmaceutical sector in Mario Draghi’s report on European competitiveness highlights the need for cohesive policies and supports our call. Together we need to work to keep the EU at the forefront of global healthcare innovation.”

Read the complete letter and the list of signatories here: EUCOPE High-Level Letter EU Pharma Legislation signed updated