Europäischer Rechnungshof - European Court of Auditors
(Press briefing) Can the EU cure critical medicine shortages?
Can the EU cure critical medicine shortages?
- Online press briefing: Wednesday 17 September at 10.00 a.m. CEST
- Publication: Same day at 5.00 p.m. CEST
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) would like to invite you to an online press briefing on its upcoming special report on EU measures to ensure the availability of medicines – at 10.00 a.m. CEST on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
The purpose of the briefing is to provide a detailed overview of the audit, and to put its conclusions and recommendations into context. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the report with ECA Member Klaus Heiner Lehne and representatives of the audit team.
RSVP: Please let us know by 1.00 p.m. on Tuesday 16 September whether you intend to take part in the online briefing; we will then send you detailed instructions on how to connect. To allow for an informed discussion, confirmed participants can receive an embargoed copy of the report and press release upon request ahead of the briefing. Both documents will be published on the ECA website at 5.00 p.m. on Wednesday 17 September.
Background
Across Europe, timely access to essential medicines is a cornerstone of public health. From life-saving treatments to common antibiotics, patients and healthcare systems rely on a secure and stable supply of medicines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages of critical medicines exposed vulnerabilities in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Unfortunately, these issues did not disappear with the pandemic, as they continue to hit the headlines and pharmacies struggle to meet demand.
The auditors looked at EU action to ensure the availability of medicines in the EU. They examined whether the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency prevent and mitigate critical shortages effectively, and whether they addressed the root causes of the problem and removed barriers to the single market for medicines. The audit findings will help shed light on how far the EU has come in securing the supply of medicines, and how far it still has to go.
Contact:
ECA press office: press@eca.europa.eu
Damijan Fišer: M: (+352) 621 552 224