Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
21.8.2020
The Commission is working with Member States and international partners on all fronts to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak[1]. It is in dialogue with economic operators across the EU to track the evolution of their manufacturing capacities and available stock and help address bottlenecks which companies may encounter when increasing production capacities.
In parallel, the Commission adopted a number of targeted measures to support new market entrants in manufacturing essential medical and protective equipment[2] and specific guidance documents[3].
Together with several Member States, the Commission has launched joint procurement tenders for essential medical and protective equipment and intensive care medicines and created the rescEU stockpile[4]. A COVID-19 Clearing House for medical equipment[5] has been established to facilitate the matching of the needs of Members States with the supply for medical and protective equipment.
In addition, the new Emergency Support Instrument[6] (EUR 2.7 billion) enables the Commission to immediately deploy targeted actions in one or more Member States and address the COVID-19 pandemic in a coordinated manner, to procure lifesaving equipment, medicines and vaccines.
Initiatives are currently in development within the EU health preparedness for possible future COVID-19 outbreaks[7] and the smooth functioning of the internal market, including medical countermeasures and actions to ensure supply and access to personal protective equipment, medicines and medical devices[8].
The forthcoming pharmaceutical strategy will also address the issue of dependency on raw materials for medicines from non-EU countries and support building of additional pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in Europe.
- [1] Coronavirus response: https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response
- [2] Commission Recommendation (EU) 2020/403 of 13 March 2020 on conformity assessment and market surveillance procedures within the context of the COVID-19 threat (OJ L 79I, 16.3.2020, p. 1)
- [3] ‘Conformity assessment procedures for protective equipment’ https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/40521 ; ‘Guidance on medical devices, active implantable medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices in the COVID-19 context’ https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/40607; ‘Regulatory Requirements for Ventilators and Related Accessories’ https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/40941
- [4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_476
- [5] https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/emergency-support-instrument/covid-19-clearing-house-medical-equipment_en
- [6] https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/emergency-support-instrument_en
- [7] https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/public-health/preparing-eu-future-covid-19-outbreaks_en
- [8] Commission Communication of 15 July 2020 on Short-term EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks