Fair access to medicines in every EU Member State

“The adoption of the Critical Medicines Act will strengthen EU coordination on national stockpiles and contingency reserves, boost the competitiveness of Europe’s pharmaceutical industry, and help prevent medicine shortages by ensuring patients can access the medicines they need,” said Tomislav Sokol MEP, the EPP Group’s spokesman in Parliament’s Committee on Public Health, after today’s vote in the European Parliament.

“The pharmaceutical sector is strategically vital for the European Union. In today’s geopolitical context, Europe must boost its competitiveness and ensure patient safety by reinforcing its pharmaceutical industry and increasing production within the Union. This is how we reduce strategic dependencies and secure the supply of both critical medicines and medicines of common interest,” Sokol said.

“We delivered concrete results. By improving information-sharing, aligning preparedness, and strengthening joint responses, we can anticipate shortages earlier and manage them together, so patients in every Member State have fair access. This reform sets Europe on a path toward a more resilient and autonomous pharmaceutical supply,” Sokol added.

“We also established - Sokol continued - a clear and strengthened principle in public procurement: price can no longer be the sole criterion when awarding contracts for medicines. Security of supply, resilience of production chains, and manufacturing capacity within the European Union must be taken into account. This ‘Buy European’ approach ensures that public procurement supports reliable suppliers, strengthens EU-based production of medicines, and contributes to long-term supply security for patients across Europe."

“Public funding must come with public responsibility. Companies receiving EU support should face clear obligations—starting with prioritising supply to the EU market and contributing to production capacity in Europe. This aligns industrial policy with public health and ensures public investment delivers tangible benefits for citizens,” Sokol concluded.