EU health ministers to discuss European Biotech Act and Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience

EU health ministers to discuss European Biotech Act and Europe's pharmaceutical resilience

EU health ministers will convene for a meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Health) on 16 June to discuss, among others, the proposed European Biotech Act I directive and regulation and the preparedness and readiness of the European pharmaceutical industry. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman will represent Finland at the meeting.

The Council is expected to adopt a general approach on the proposed directive regarding the placing on the market of genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) and the processing of organs. Finland is prepared to accept the compromise proposal put forth by the Cyprus Presidency.

The Council will also hold a policy debate on the European Biotech Act I regulation, which has a wider scope than the directive. It aims to boost competitiveness, create an enabling environment for the development of innovations, products and services, and simplify regulation.

Finland supports the objectives of the proposed European Biotech Act and the establishment of a more coherent and streamlined regulatory framework to strengthen the competitiveness of the biotechnology sector. Finland considers it important that EU legislation makes it possible to develop innovations and place them quickly on the market. Finland also stresses the importance of taking biosecurity and biosafety into account in the proposal.

"Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing sectors in the EU, and it is important to boost its competitiveness in international markets. By streamlining regulation, we make it possible to bring to the market new biotechnology products and innovations that create not only economic growth but also health and wellbeing," says Minister Rydman.

Resilience of the European pharmaceutical industry

Over lunch, the ministers will discuss strengthening Europe's pharmaceutical resilience and strategic autonomy, which is related to the United States' Most Favored Nation policy. In short, the policy seeks to lower US medicine prices by tying them to the lowest international rates. The US pharmaceutical policy may affect the prices and availability of medicines and the operating conditions of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe. It is feared that the changed situation will narrow the range of medicines.

The health ministers will also receive a progress report on the proposed regulation simplifying the rules on medical and in vitro diagnostic devices.

Inquiries:

Nuutti Hyttinen, Special Adviser to Minister Rydman, tel. +358 295 163 403
Ville Korhonen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, International Affairs, tel. +358 295 163 128
Essi Suonvieri, Senior Specialist, tel. +295 163 137 (biotech package)
Merja Mustonen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 163 116 (pharmaceutical resilience)

All email addresses are in the format [email protected].