Belgium takes the helm of the EU at a time of great economic uncertainty. Like other industries, the pharmaceutical industry is facing tough challenges. One fundamental problem is innovation. Our industry is suffering a lean spell in research and development at a time when society is raising the bar for innovation by demanding even greater value for new medicines.

As a pharmaceutical company staking its future on its research agenda, Lilly welcomes the renewed commitment to innovation in Europe envisaged by the new 2020 Strategy.  Its ambitious goal of ensuring that Europe has a smart, sustainable, inclusive economy delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion is welcome.  However the Belgian Presidency must ensure that any resulting initiatives foster increased research and development into medicines that meet currently unmet needs. Healthcare innovation is crucial in providing high skilled employment whilst at the same time enabling people to live longer, healthier and more active lives.

The Belgian Presidency will also oversee proposals aimed at ensuring that patient safety is at the heart of EU healthcare. The proposed directive to combat fake medicines in the EU supply chain contains a range of measures aiming to ensure that patients receive genuine medicines.

Getting this legislation right is critical: there have been a number of recent seizures in the legitimate supply chain of counterfeit medicines for a variety of serious conditions such as schizophrenia, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The European Commission proposal has been helpfully amended and strengthened by the European Parliament and the Council.  We now need rapid adoption of the text to deliver new protections for patients and Lilly believes that interim measures should be considered to accelerate the implementation of new safety features on medicine packs.

I look forward to specific initiatives in the area of chronic diseases which recognise the fact that more and more people in the EU are being diagnosed, and are living with, chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It is important that patients living with these debilitating conditions have access to the same high level of treatment and care regardless of where they live in Europe. By exchanging (and adopting) best practices Member States can help meet the EU vision of a high level of public health for all.

During its past Presidency Belgium proved to be an able negotiator (illustrated by its re-invigoration of the debate on the Future of Europe in 2001). I wish it the same success in ensuring that the EU strikes a balance between meeting the challenges presented by the economic crisis and ensuring that investment in health is recognised as an investment in the future.

ALL/ELB/05/2010/270