EU Medical Countermeasures and Stockpiling Strategies: critical steps toward stronger health emergency preparedness

Brussels, 9 July 2025 – The European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE) reckons both the EU Medical Countermeasures and Stockpiling Strategies, published today, as positive steps toward improving the EU’s preparedness for future health emergencies. In an increasingly uncertain geopolitical scenario, strengthening the EU medical countermeasures (MCMs) framework is essential to coordinate the availability of medicines that will enhance the protection of EU citizens in the event of cross-border health crises.

The proposed measures in the EU Medical Countermeasures Strategy are expected to boost the MCMs pipeline, from innovation to manufacturing, while strengthening supply chains. Initiatives such as a Medical Countermeasures Preparedness Roadmap, a Medical Countermeasures Accelerator and a European Therapeutics and Diagnostics Hubs are examples of the strong commitment to ensuring rapid and efficient availability of MCMs.

Relevantly, both Strategies project renewed focus on strategic stockpiles, based on the successful model already established by the RescEU programme. Such initiatives will enable the rapid deployment of MCMs in circumstances where timely action is crucial. In this context, the development of an EU List of MCMs for Priority Threats should focus on products where urgent deployment is paramount during outbreaks or emergencies.

The Strategy’s comprehensive scope is positive, covering critical priority threats such as pathogens with high pandemic potential, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The evidence to the importance of CBRN MCMs showcases increased awareness to broader security risks and the need for civil-military alignment. When it comes to AMR, the willingness to improve development of and access to AMR treatments by introducing forms of financial pull incentives, in addition to the Transferable Exclusivity Voucher (TEV) proposal in the General Pharmaceutical Legislation are noteworthy developments.

EUCOPE also acknowledges the Strategy’s commitment and proposed actions for fostering centralised procurement, while emphasising the importance of ensuring that such mechanisms remain specifically limited to the scope of MCMs.

Finally, EUCOPE appreciates the Commission’s willingness to expand public-private partnerships, supporting common preparedness objectives. Maintaining open dialogue to understand priority demands and manufacturing capacities is essential for nurturing a well-functioning MCMs ecosystem, as well as optimising the use of available resources and expertise.

EUCOPE urges all EU institutions to reflect the Strategy’s objectives in the upcoming negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), allowing for support to both EU-based manufacturers and reliable global partners. Adequate and sustained funding will be critical to ensuring the effective implementation of this important initiative.

Alexander Natz, EUCOPE Secretary General, stated:

““The EU MCMs and Stockpiling strategies are a timely and necessary step toward stronger European health security. We applaud the Commission’s focus on boosting innovation and manufacturing of MCMs, and look forward to continued collaboration to ensure the EU is better prepared for future health emergencies.”