23/01/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 23 January, the Council of the European Union formally adopted the regulation aimed at modernising and simplifying the structure of fees paid to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The new rules will guarantee both adequate funding for the EMA and sufficient support for the competent national authorities in carrying out their scientific evaluation tasks. The new regulation establishes the transition from a flat-rate fee system to a cost-based system and ensures the viability of the European regulatory network made up of the EMA and the national competent authorities, by providing a solid financial basis to support their activities. The regulation will now be signed and published in the Official Journal of the EU. It will come into force on the day following that of its publication and will begin to apply on 1 January 2025 (see EUROPE 13257/4). (LC)