Cefic joins Critical Medicines Alliance: Strategic autonomy through a resilient and sustainable pharmaceutical industry in Europe

Cefic supports the call for stronger EU measures to address critical medicine shortages across Europe. To this end, Cefic, through its Sector Group, European Fine Chemicals Group (EFCG), joins the Critical Medicines Alliance, an initiative of the European Commission which brings together relevant voices to strengthen the supply of critical medicines in Europe.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and their fine chemicals precursors are the building blocks on which all critical medicines are based. Yet following a massive offshoring of APIs, Europe has halved its share over the last 25 years, in turn increasing its dependency on other regions. Cefic supports the Critical Medicines Alliance with the aim of addressing vulnerabilities around critical medicines; by sharing challenges from the fine chemicals sector and determining the most suitable actions to rebuild resilience in European medicine supply chains.

“The more dependent Europe is on other regions, the more vulnerable its people are on products as fundamental as medicines. Through our Sector Group, we represent around 350  API and fine chemical sites in Europe, and we can provide important insights on the key value chain players, capacities in Europe, technologies involved in the manufacturing process, among others. Our goal is to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and re-establish Europe as a major player in API manufacturing.”

Maggie Saykali, Director – Specialty Chemicals, Cefic

As an export-oriented sector, the chemical industry is highly sensitive to shortages. As outlined in the Antwerp Declaration, an Open Strategic Autonomy is crucial for Europe to remain competitive and resilient. Without a targeted industrial policy, Europe risks becoming dependent even on basic goods and chemicals. Europe cannot afford this to happen.

Cefic’s Sector Group, EFCG has outlined recommendations to achieve a resilient medicine supply chain in Europe, including fostering supportive legislative policies for EU API manufacturers, emphasising sustainable growth and reshoring initiatives, while investing in innovation and shifting procurement focus on supply security and social-environmental standards.