Medicines for Europe (MfE) has called on the European Union (EU) to keep international borders open and to secure trade flows for medicines and key ingredients for their manufacture in India, the US and China.
The pharma sector representative body states in a letter to the European Commission: “Our industry also needs access to airfreight and to optimise customs and other pharma-specific import procedures to accelerate the import key ingredients.”
The 400 production sites of its membership across Europe are at full capacity manufacturing finished products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to respond to the Covid-19 outbreak in Europe.
But MfE added that many countries are introducing export restrictions, including some restrictions inside the EU, on manufacturers of medicines and their ingredients.
The letter, signed by MfE director general Adrian van den Hoven, stated: “European solidarity, as mandated by the EU treaties, and cooperation with our main international partners (India, US, China) is essential.”
Repeating its February 18 call for urgent action to the EU, the association said: “At EU level, we should have a single point of contact in the Commission to coordinate all measures that impact medicines production and supply with authority to call on key directorates for rapid decisions or support: health, transport, industry, trade/diplomacy, home affairs, customs, competition and key EU agencies.”
MfE wants EU and the member states to enact and support the association’s guidances and requests “without delay”.
Adding: “We ask that national medicines coordination centres are established to channel any problems with medicines supply to the EU level without delay”.
