As the EU adapts to global geopolitical tensions and renews its focus on simplifying legislation, Medicines for Europe convened policymakers, industry leaders, and partners for its annual meeting in Brussels.
The conference was focused on “Building a Resilient Health Union: Security, Access and Competitiveness”. The agenda included critical topics such as the implementation of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), the development of the Critical Medicines Act, the role of biotech and digitalisation, and the sustainability of procurement models and healthcare budgets. The discussions focused on how to strengthen Europe’s manufacturing base, secure access to affordable medicines, and navigate the clean and digital transition while ensuring the access to medicines for people who depend on them every day.
Zentiva’s CEO, Steffen Saltofte, joined a panel on the topic “Delivering access to medicines in the context of the Clean Transition and One Health” – advocating for a clean transition that does not compromise access to medicines. With the support of local associations, German Progenerika and Czech CAFF, he presented reality checks from Germany and the Czech Republic, two of Zentiva’s key markets.
There is an urgent need to Pause – Repair – Relaunch, as the current implementation of the directive is unworkable for the generics industry.
Zentiva highlighted the following three key messages:
- The current UWWTD implementation risks undermining medicine affordability, supply security, and long-term sustainability. Unrealistic assumptions and significantly underestimated cost assessments by the European Commission raise serious concerns about the continued availability of essential off-patent medicines across Europe.
- A better alternative exists – the Swiss model demonstrates how fair cost-sharing, phased implementation, and cross-sector collaboration can meet environmental goals without compromising patient care.
- We must safeguard the economic viability of medicines made in Europe. If environmental policies place disproportionate financial pressure on manufacturers, they risk driving production out of Europe – threatening both supply resilience and the EU’s ambition for strategic autonomy in healthcare.
“Sustainability is not just about the environment. It’s also about the sustainability of care – ensuring access to medicines to all people who depend on them every day, regardless of cost pressures. We need to find solutions that deliver on environmental sustainability and ensure access to affordable healthcare at the same time. Let’s not forget – health is a right, not a privilege,” Saltofte concluded.
