Minister Budrys: Europe has everything it needs to become a global leader in biotechnologyActivities of the Minister of Foreign AffairsEuropean UnionMultilateral Relations

On 2 April, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys participated in a discussion titled "The European Biotech Act I: Strategic Decisions to Strengthen EU Competitiveness," held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health.

In his opening remarks, the Minister emphasized that biotechnology is becoming one of the strategic areas with a direct impact on the European Union's economic security and competitiveness. According to the Minister, in order to maintain leadership in the global market, it is necessary to create an innovation-friendly environment, promote cooperation between science and business, and ensure an effective and predictable regulatory framework.

"Europe has all the prerequisites to become a global leader in biotechnology, but this requires swift and coordinated decisions. We must reduce fragmentation, accelerate the adoption of innovations, and ensure that scientific achievements reach patients and the market as quickly as possible," the Minister said.

When discussing the importance of the future European Biotech Act, the Minister noted that this legislative proposal could become a key tool for strengthening Europe's innovative capacity and global competitiveness.

"Lithuania will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2027 and will seek to ensure substantial progress on the European Biotech Act. We see this as an important opportunity to contribute to decisions that will allow Europe to tap into the full potential of biotechnology," said the Minister.

The event was also attended by Health Minister Marija Jakubauskienė, Member of the European Parliament Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Lithuanian politicians, and representatives of government institutions, the business community, and academia.