Polish proposal blocked in the EU. The monopoly failed to break. “Abuse of the current system”
On Wednesday, May 21, high -ranking diplomats from EU countries met in Brussels to discuss the position of the Polish Presidium of the EU Council regarding the reform of European pharmaceutical law. However, the first attempt to reach an agreement in the European Council ended in failure.
The Polish proposal was blocked by some of the largest European countries.
Poland encounters obstacles in attempts to reduce the profits of large pharmaceutical concerns. It seems that the EU mantra with “competitiveness” makes more and more countries to support the pharmaceutical industry.
Countries are divided into the length of the period for which new drugs of pharmaceutical producers should exercise the rights to the market monopoly that stop the competition.
Civil society organizations accuse the pharmaceutical industry of abuse of the current system and want to limit it. However, this sector does not agree with these allegations and claims that the benefits must be large enough to encourage industry to invest in Europe.
When in January Poland took the presidency, smaller EU countries hoped that Warsaw would be able to mobilize capital to limit the market protection of great pharmaceutical concerns. This would allow you to appear faster on the market of cheaper generic drugs after the introduction of a new drug, thus improving access to the latest therapies.
However, in connection with geopolitical changes, some countries are taking up a position conducive to the pharmaceutical industry, and several capitals have recently been prompted to support this sector when Europe is intensifying actions to increase competitiveness.
The division in the council can generally be divided into countries supporting the seven -year basic period of data protection – i.e. keeping secret from competitors data constituting the basis of a license for a new medicine – and countries in an eight -year period.
According to an EU official, who, provided anonymity, agreed to discuss the course of closed conversations, a dozen smaller countries with lower income are on a seven -year period proposed by Poland, but 10 countries – including Sweden, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany and Denmark – does not agree to shorten this period to eight years.
“Sweden definitely opposes the shortening of the regulatory period of data protection regarding medicinal products,” said the country, the Minister of Health of this country, in an interview with Politico Acko Ankarberg Johansson.
The goal is, as she said, “increasing the competitiveness of the EU and ensuring predictable conditions for pharmaceutical companies conducting scientific research”, for the benefit of patients who will receive “the best available drugs”.
Work in the Pharmaceutical Laboratory (illustrative photos)
“How far should we go?”
“Competitiveness” is currently a fashionable slogan in the EU and other countries also seem to promote this solution.
Ireland and Bulgaria joined the camp supporters of the eight years, which gives “the impression that the moment really favors eight years,” said one of the EU officials in an interview with Politico. He added that both countries were previously willing to support both seven and eight years.
This puts in a difficult situation countries, which initially supported the original commission's proposal regarding six years, such as Estonia, Latvia and Malta.
Although 12 countries are in seven years, and 10 for six, decisions in the council require a qualified majority, which means that larger countries have more influence. And because there are several large countries among 10 countries in eight years, balance can change quickly.
– If Europe wants to be attractive to enterprises, we must create the right conditions. The question is: how far should we go and at what cost? – Politico said the second EU diplomat from another country in an interview with Politico.
Poland will have to change its 724-page proposal or carry out convincing lobbying activities to make other countries to support its plan. The presidency has just over a month to find a common position before the reins takes over the pharmaceutical industry.
After reaching the agreement by the Capitals of the Member States in the Council, you can start negotiations with the European Parliament.
