Brussels – November 04, 2026 -- The head of Germany's pharmaceutical industry association BPI has said the EU is not prepared for a health crisis, calling European and national policy inadequate for the current geopolitical tensions.
BPI Chairman Oliver Kirst made the remarks at the association's autumn reception at the Bibliothèque Solvay in Brussels. He described the lack of crisis resilience as irresponsible and said EU action is too slow and too bureaucratic.
Critical Medicines Act still awaits formal adoption
Kirst named the Critical Medicines Act (CMA) as the prime example of EU hesitation. He called its aim of returning critical medicine production to Europe right and urgent. The act, he noted, has been debated for a long time and still has to be formally adopted.
Chairman lists open questions on production, storage and protection
Kirst said too many questions remain unanswered:
- Where is what produced?
- Where are supply-relevant drugs stored for a crisis?
- How are production sites and warehouses protected as critical infrastructure?
- How can Europe cut its economic and technological dependence and regain sovereignty?
BPI points to ten-point plan for supply sovereignty
Kirst said BPI presented a comprehensive security strategy at the start of the year. Its ten-point plan aims to make production conditions competitive and strengthen resilient supply chains so that Germany and the EU regain supply sovereignty. He said health policy must be treated as location policy and, in the current climate, as part of security policy.
Panel brings EU crisis agency, Bundeswehr medical corps and industry together
The reception's theme is "Polycrisis Europe - How can we future-proof our health security architecture?". After Kirst's opening speech, three speakers were scheduled to discuss the topic:
- Dr. Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director-General of the EU authority for health emergency preparedness and response
- Surgeon General Dr. Hans-Ulrich Holtherm, commander of the Bundeswehr Medical Academy
- Dr. Marcus Rudolf Götz, head of research and development at Bode-Chemie and a Bundeswehr reserve officer