Europe Wants to Build Its Own Health Security Industry
The EU is strengthening its capacity to manufacture vaccines, medicines and medical countermeasures before the next health emergency
A new European Commission initiative signals a further shift in EU health policy: preparedness is becoming an industrial strategy involving pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical technologies, procurement and strategic manufacturing capacity.
The European Union is taking another important step towards strengthening its health security. Through the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority , the European Commission is developing new measures intended to reinforce Europe’s capacity to manufacture critical medical countermeasures before future health emergencies occur.
The initiative represents more than another public-health programme. It reflects a broader strategic objective that has emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic: reducing Europe’s dependence on external suppliers for medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other products considered essential to public health and economic security.
During the pandemic, European countries experienced shortages of personal protective equipment, pharmaceutical ingredients, laboratory materials, medicines and vaccines. Global competition, export restrictions and manufacturing bottlenecks demonstrated how quickly health emergencies can become industrial and geopolitical crises.
From emergency response to permanent preparedness
These vulnerabilities contributed to the establishment of HERA , which works on threat assessment, research, procurement, stockpiling, manufacturing capacity and the availability of medical countermeasures.
The EU’s new approach is based on a simple principle: Europe should not wait for the next emergency before trying to secure production capacity. It should maintain and develop the industrial capabilities needed to increase output rapidly when demand suddenly rises.
This approach could affect pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, medical device manufacturers, contract manufacturing organisations, laboratories, research centres and suppliers of specialised technologies.
Why manufacturing capacity matters
Scientific research alone cannot guarantee health security. A vaccine, medicine or diagnostic technology has limited value during a crisis if manufacturers cannot produce sufficient quantities or if critical components are unavailable.
Europe remains dependent on complex international supply chains for active pharmaceutical ingredients, chemical components, biological materials, laboratory equipment and specialised manufacturing technologies.
Strengthening preparedness therefore means connecting scientific innovation with industrial capacity, regulatory coordination, advance procurement and long-term cooperation between public authorities and private companies.
The strategy may also create new opportunities through EU procurement, industrial partnerships, research programmes and funding instruments supporting health preparedness and medical innovation.
However, companies will need to understand how the new EU framework works, which products may be prioritised, how procurement procedures will be organised and which organisations will be eligible to participate...
