EUROPEAN Union lawmakers and countries reached a deal Tuesday on new rules seeking to tackle shortages of essential drugs and boost manufacturing in Europe.
Supplies of key medicines such as antibiotics, insulin and painkillers have at times run low within the 27-nation bloc in recent years, due to supply chain snags and Europe’s over-reliance on Asia for key components.
Under the provisional accord struck by EU governments and parliament representatives national authorities will be obliged to look at diversifying supply sources when procuring critical medicines.
The deal allows authorities to apply an “EU preference” to procurement, and reward suppliers of drugs and active ingredients manufactured within the bloc, according to the EU parliament.
“Companies that produce medicines in Europe will be favoured in procurement procedures,” said Tomislav Sokol, the centre-right EU lawmaker who sponsored the text.
“Strategic projects will benefit from access to national and EU funding and from faster and more efficient permitting procedures.”
AFP
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