Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Denmark signed an agreement in Brussels. They will start purchasing medicines together. This will help them obtain medicines faster and at lower costs.
In Estonia, new medicines usually arrive 2 years later than in larger countries. Prices come on average 738 days later. Although Estonia's process is fast, the problem is delayed medicines.
The ministers of the European Union agreed on new rules. These will help ensure that all countries can access essential medicines. Many medicines are not produced in Europe. They come from China or elsewhere. During a crisis, medicines may run out.
Estonian Minister Karmen Joller said that during the pandemic, antibiotics disappeared. Especially children's medicines were out of stock. Small countries have difficulty obtaining medicines because manufacturers are not interested in them.
The European Union now wants to impose stricter rules. For example, medicines must always be available. Joller said that stricter rules may be challenging but necessary. This will help ensure that medicines are produced in Europe.
During a crisis, it is difficult to bring medicines from other countries. Therefore, it is important that they are produced in Europe. The new rules may increase the price of medicines, but Joller said they are trying to avoid this.
The Baltic countries and Denmark have made an agreement to purchase medicines together. This will help reduce prices. The EU countries have agreed on the new rules, but they still need to discuss them with the European Parliament.