EuropaBio calls for action to regain competitiveness
EuropaBio has called on EU decision makers to implement bold policies to ensure that the European healthcare biotech sector retains its competitiveness on a global scale and continues to deliver growth, jobs and innovation.
The body made the plea at a conference organised at the European Parliament on Wednesday. The event explored the necessity for the EU to design a specific industrial policy for the pharmaceutical sector in Europe.
Speaking at the event, secretary-general Nathalie Moll said: “We continue to see a concerning gap between the conditions for a thriving biotech industry in the rest of the world and the environment for the sector at the European level. Business is moving out to extra-EU jurisdictions where access to capital markets is easier and less burdensome, because proactive policies to attract investments and innovation have been adopted.”
The organisation said efforts needed to be made in regards to supporting incremental innovations, attracting investments and reducing the administrative and regulatory burden on biotech companies.
Adding further thoughts, Miriam Gargesi, director for Healthcare Biotechnology at EuropaBio, commented: “Biotech companies are facing challenges along five main stages: discovery, product development, manufacturing, access and continued development – which need to be addressed at a European level in a co-ordinated way.
“An excellent example of this can be seen in the decision of the UK Government to appoint a Minister for Life Sciences in 2014, giving a strong signal to industry and investors.”
UK MP George Freeman is the current life sciences minister.
