Agreement reached: Easier access to medicines, more 'Made in Europe'

The EPP Group welcomes last night's agreement between the European Parliament and EU Member States on vital pharmaceutical legislation. This deal will improve access to medicines for all Europeans and strengthen the competitiveness of a "Made in Europe" industry.

The deal comes after months of intensive discussions to modernise and strengthen the regulatory framework for medicines. The EPP Group sought to strike a balance between fostering innovation, meeting patients' needs, and creating a more sustainable and responsive medicines market across all Member States.

"This agreement sends a clear and powerful message: patients are at the heart of our commitment, and we have succeeded in bringing together all political forces in the European Parliament to push for greater access to medicines - ensuring innovation, fostering the development of more effective treatments, and securing more affordable options for every citizen”, said Dolors Montserrat MEP, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group and EPP’s lead negotiator of the new law. 

“One of our most significant EPP commitments and one of our most meaningful achievements is ensuring broader access to the best treatments available for all Europeans, wherever they live. The renewed regulatory framework allows the industry and Member States to adapt to each other's needs through a permanent, constructive dialogue, ensuring that medicines are available across the entire European Union”, stressed Montserrat.

A key priority for the EPP Group has been to guarantee full transparency in how funds are used while cutting, not adding, red tape for companies that are already overstretched but crucial to Europe’s future.

“Protecting innovation through strong intellectual property rights is essential. But it is equally important to facilitate the entry of generics and biosimilar medicines into the market. These products are also vital for the sustainability of national healthcare systems, offering lower prices and greater availability of medicines for citizens, while ensuring that this sector of the industry can fully access the market since the first day after the expiration of the market protection for the innovator”, concluded Montserrat.

Media Invitation

Dolors Montserrat MEP and fellow MEPs will brief the media today (11 December) at 9.30 on the agreed pharmaceutical package (European Parliament, Brussels, Anna Politkovskaya Room). More information is available at this link.