Improving access to healthcare across the EU
News
24 Jun 2024
Healthcare
Improving access to healthcare across the EU

The recent conclusions of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on the Future of the European Health Union rightly recognise the critical need to improve access to healthcare as well as the importance of strategic investments in health. These are crucial steps to reinforcing the sustainability and resilience of European health systems.

Furthermore, the Council acknowledged that to maintain the competitiveness of Europe's life science sector, the EU must deliver for patients while ensuring the right conditions for innovation. To this end, the revision of the general pharmaceutical legislation should foster a regulatory environment that encourages innovation, supports investment and ensures that patients benefit from the latest advancements in medical science. In this regard, the Council’s recognition of the need to define and address unmet medical needs in a holistic manner is welcome.

In a similar vein, as the targeted evaluation of the Medical Devices Regulation begins, the Council appreciated the challenges in implementing the regulation. AmCham EU looks forward to continued collaboration with the EU institutions and Member States to address these urgent issues and craft a regulatory framework that is both effective and conducive to ongoing advancements in healthcare. By working together, the public and private sectors can ensure patient safety and promote technological innovation within the medical devices industry. 

AmCham EU remains committed to supporting policies that drive innovation and improve healthcare access across Europe, ensuring an equitable and healthier future for all citizens.

Related items

News
4 May 2026

Discussing healthcare policy priorities in Strasbourg

On Tuesday, 28 to Wednesday, 29 April, AmCham EU travelled to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France for a series of meetings with policymakers to discuss ongoing EU healthcare policy initiatives. The delegation met with Members of the European Parliament, Accredited Parliamentary Assistants and Group Policy Advisers, to discuss priorities for the EU’s health agenda. This included exchanges on how to strengthen Europe’s life sciences competitiveness and support resilient supply chains. Members also stressed the need for urgent action to simplify overlapping rules and reduce complexity. They underlined that proportionate, risk-based regulation is essential to support innovation. This approach can also help ensure timely patient access to medicines, medical technologies and diagnostics.

Healthcare
Read more
Read more about Discussing healthcare policy priorities in Strasbourg
Position Paper
11 Nov 2025

Advancing short-term improvements to the EU Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulations

The Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics Regulations (MDR/IVDR) have created unworkable complexity for the medical devices industry, with dire consequences for European patients. To address these challenges, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) or political groups can help address the unintended consequences of the current framework by tabling a Parliamentary Question that urges the European Commission to introduce targeted relief measures in parallel to a comprehensive revision of the MDR and IVDR. This would support the European Commission to implement short-term relief measures, in addition to the MDR/IVDR revision, that bolster efficiency, mitigate administrative bottlenecks and increase predictability in the regulatory processes. This would have an immediate impact on patient access and boost Europe’s innovation.

Healthcare
Read more
Read more about Advancing short-term improvements to the EU Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulations
News
27 Oct 2025

Advancing EU health policy through competitiveness and innovation

On Monday, 27 October, AmCham EU met with Lorena Boix-Alonso, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission, for an exchange on the role of health policy in strengthening the EU’s competitiveness. The discussion focused on how to foster innovation while ensuring patient safety, as well as ways to streamline the legislative framework to improve efficiency and uphold high standards of care. AmCham EU highlighted the importance of evidence-based, future-proof regulation that supports a resilient health system and drives innovation. Continued dialogue is essential to advancing shared goals for Europe’s health agenda. 

Healthcare
Read more
Read more about Advancing EU health policy through competitiveness and innovation