On Tuesday 20 January, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the proposal concerning critical medicines.
The report by Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatian), which was referred to the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health with a view to launching negotiations with the Council of the EU, was adopted in plenary session with 503 votes in favour, 57 against and 108 abstentions (see EUROPE 13782/13, 13774/21).
The European Parliament’s position provides for voluntary cross-border procurement to improve supply, particularly of medicines for rare diseases, antibiotics and other innovative, expensive or specialised treatments. At least five countries will be able to take part in joint procurement procedures, compared with nine in the Commission’s initial proposal.
MEPs advocate the creation of a European mechanism for coordinating national and emergency stocks of critical medicines. They want the Commission to have the power, as a last resort, to decide on the redistribution of medicines from a national stock to one or more other Member States when a shortage is identified.
Parliament is ready to begin negotiations with EU governments on the final form of the legislation.
With this legislation, “we are strengthening the European pharmaceutical industry as a strategic industry”, said the rapporteur. The aim is to strengthen the production of medicines in Europe through clearly defined strategic projects. The joint procurement for critical medicines and medicinal products of common interest is, in his view, “a central element” of the European Parliament’s position. Price can no longer be the sole criterion for awarding contracts, insisted Mr Sokol.
He welcomed the European Parliament’s introduction of a mechanism for the compulsory redistribution of medicines to countries facing shortages, as a measure of last resort, to ensure real solidarity between Member States in the event of a crisis. Finally, Tomislav Sokol called for a safety fund for critical medicines.
Christophe Clergeau (S&D, French), for his part, deplored the fact that, where medicines are not concerned - masks, for example - “we have to wait months for the Commission to define a list of critical equipment, without having the legislative tools to facilitate their production in Europe”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)