Belgium is proposing that EU countries exchange medicines to alleviate shortages, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told Radio 1’s Ochtend programme on Wednesday.
Vandenbroucke also called for more medicines to be produced in Europe.
Several European countries have recently suffered shortages of certain medicines, including antibiotics and insulin. The Belgian proposal aims to adapt to these supply problems through greater solidarity between countries on a voluntary basis. Those experiencing shortages would then be able to rely on the solidarity of those with large stocks.
This is one of three proposals made by Belgium regarding the drug supply problem.
According to Minister Vandenbroucke, the text has the support of 18 other Member States, including Germany, France and the Netherlands.
“It is our responsibility to guarantee the continuity of treatment of people with sometimes life-saving medicines,” he stressed. “That’s why we are taking action at European level to be able to act more quickly when a medicine threatens to be in short supply.”
The second point of the Belgian proposal text argues for a gradual end to dependence on countries outside the EU, particularly China and India.
“We want the EU to ensure that enough of the essential raw materials for these medicines are produced here,” said Vandenbroucke, adding that Europe has become too dependent on a small number of companies in a small number of countries.
Belgium also wants a European list of crucial medicines, mainly those that have been subject to repeated shortages, to be drawn up in order to better control supply.
Minister Vandenbroucke is off to Sweden on Wednesday for an informal meeting of health ministers.
