Expert competitiveness group set up by the EU
A high level group of experts, charged with drawing up recommendations to help the EU pharmaceutical industry sharpen its international competitive edge, has been set up by the EC. They are to report to commission president Romano Prodi next April.
Members of the group includes Chris Viehbacher, chairman of Europe, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals; JeanFrancois Dehecq, president of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations; Andrew Kay, chairman of the European Generic Manufacturers Association, and EU enterprise commissioner Erkki Liikkanen and consumer protection commissioner David Byrne.
Liikkanen said he hoped the group would agree on policy approaches that do not necessarily require the Commission to take legislative action.