Public funding of research and an efficient regulatory system: “These factors of competitiveness of the national and European pharmaceutical industry are proving to be critical. On the other hand, it is precisely the experience of the pandemic that has shown the delay of European institutions in this field, both in financing the research of new vaccines and in attracting production. The European Union has limited itself to organizing the purchase of vaccines from third countries “. This was stated by Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economic Development, opening the event ‘InnovaCtion, what is needed for ideas to become health, business, future’, promoted by GlaxoSmithKline (Gsk) at its headquarters in Verona, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of presence in our country.
According to Giorgetti, we can and must “seek greater convergence of the regulatory systems of the pharmaceutical market within the Member States of the Union”. As regards “financial support, both through tax concessions and direct financial support – continued the minister – the complex question of European state aid rules arises. These rules are aimed at protecting competition within Europe,” but they are holding back the policies aimed at strengthening European competitiveness on a global level and at pursuing the objectives of ‘preparedness and security’. Europe in the face of the pandemic has made it possible, with the adoption of the Temporary Framework, to overcome the restrictions placed on aid Been for a limited time, but the topic today is how to design a long-term strategy. “
The presence of these rules, Giorgetti continued, “is part of the difficulty of reaching a rapid and efficient public-private collaboration to locate important strategic investments in research, development and production in our country on which a dialogue has been open for some time. I hope fruitful between the Ministry of Economic Development and your company. For this reason, the Ministry of Economic Development has already raised the question of the declaration of the strategic character of the pharmaceutical industry, but this implies that specific rules and policies should be adopted for this sector close to those adopted for other sectors relating to national security. This game is largely played in Europe as well “.
For Giorgetti, this is “the time to put the question firmly on the table, because the public resources destined to strengthen health systems and related industries are now more abundant than in the past and there is the national political will to use them quickly”.
As regards tax concessions, “the Ministry of Economic Development, together with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, decided last year to increase the investment tax credit ceiling by 5 times for a period of 10 years. in research and development of the pharmaceutical industries “, he concluded.
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