Vytenis Andriukaitis and Wouter Beke will lead the debate on the Biotech Act in the European Commission’s SANT and ITRE committees

Vytenis Andriukaitis and Wouter Beke have been appointed as the new rapporteurs for the Biotech Act in the Public Health (SANT) and Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) committees of the European Commission, respectively, as reported by EuropaBio. These two committees will play a crucial role in shaping the development of the Biotech Act.

Vytenis Andriukaitis, a medical doctor and European politician, served as European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety between 2014 and 2019 and previously as Minister of Health of Lithuania. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and Special Envoy of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Universal Health Coverage in Europe, with extensive experience in public health, food safety and environmental policy.

Wouter Beke is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament since 2024. His career includes positions such as Flemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health, Family and Poverty Reduction, and Belgian Federal Minister for Employment, Economy and Consumer Affairs. In the European Parliament, he serves on committees including Industry, Research and Energy, Foreign Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, contributing expertise in health policy, research and industrial development. Both profiles will bring their experience and knowledge to guide the development of the Biotech Act and ensure it addresses the needs of the European biotechnology sector.

The Biotech Act represents the first European initiative to recognize biotechnology as a strategic sector and aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework to boost investment, innovation and competitiveness, addressing long-standing challenges such as regulatory fragmentation, difficulties in industrial scaling and access to financing. The legislation seeks to facilitate the development of biotechnological innovation in Europe through more agile, coherent and harmonized regulations, while supporting the growth of companies within the continent.

From AseBio, we have actively participated in the design of the Biotech Act, providing recommendations based on sector experience and the collective intelligence of our members. These include proposals such as the creation of specialized investment ecosystems, mechanisms to accelerate clinical trials, the implementation of regulatory sandboxes, and measures to improve access to data and specialized talent-ensuring that the legislation reflects the real needs of Spanish and European biotechnology companies.

At AseBio, we will continue working to ensure that the future Biotech Act effectively addresses the challenges facing the biotechnology industry. The experience of the Biotech Act rapporteurs in SANT and ITRE is considered essential to advancing this historic process, which will define the framework for European biotechnological innovation over the next two decades and lay the groundwork for achieving Europe's strategic autonomy.

You can find all the information about the Biotech Act and our analyses here.