Cautious optimism on Brexit progression: Pharma, biotech & manufacturing industries give their thoughts

As the guidelines for the negotiations of future relations between the EU and the UK are approved, allowing the progression of Brexit talks, pharma, biotech and manufacturing industry leaders give their opinions on the transition.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed the move to the next phase of talks. “The EU Council’s agreement to progress to future partnership talks and their approval of a transition period is welcome news,” said Mike Thompson, CEO of the ABPI. “Every month, our industry supplies 45 million packs of medicine to Europe and 37 million come back the other way. Subject to the final withdrawal agreement, our members now know they will have until December 2020 to do all they can to make sure that these medicines continue to get to patients.”

“We welcome that there has been political agreement on the transition period,” added the CEO of the UK’s BioIndustry Association (BIA), Steve Bates. “Both sides have negotiated pragmatically for a positive outcome for patients on both sides of the channel. The life sciences sector has repeatedly called for a transition period to enable companies to adapt to the significant challenges posed by a Brexit in March 2019. We will now be working closely with government and industry stakeholders to understand the detail of the agreement and how it applies to our sector and medicines.”

Moving forward the ABPI recommends four key priorities to be considered for the pharma industry’s benefit. These priorities are:

1. Regulation — continued collaboration and alignment between the UK and EU for the regulation of medicines in order to benefit patients and industry on both sides.

2. Trade — free and frictionless trade between the UK and EU should be sought so that medicines supply continues as seamlessly as possible.

3. Science and innovation — the UK should try to negotiate continued access to long-term European funding and collaboration programmes for science.

4. Access to talent — an agreement should be formed guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and facilitating movement of highly-skilled talent.

“However, as the transition agreement states the UK will play a limited role in the European Medicines Agency, we need to be sure that does not rule out close longer-term collaboration,” warned Thompson. “As the next phase of talks begin, we will continue to make the case that the best way to safeguard patient safety and protect public health is for the UK and the EU to continue to cooperate on the regulation, trade and supply of medicines.”

“As negotiations move to the second phase, the guidelines have missed an opportunity to prioritise European patients in Phase Two,” Bates continued. “It is vital that medicines regulation is a priority for discussions to ensure public health and patient safety are not negatively affected by Brexit.”

While welcoming the transition deal EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, also stressed that there is little time to achieve a satisfactory arrangement between the EU and the UK for everyone involved.

“While we welcome a transition deal, long called for by industry to give manufacturers clarity and confidence for continued growth as the UK leaves the EU, the time period to the end of 2020 is short. There is still much to be done by both sides in these negotiations to ensure that the final arrangements can support jobs, investment and growth in the UK and EU,” stated Stephen Phipson, chief executive of EEF.

“Manufacturers also welcome the fact that EU workers can continue to come to the UK under the same terms as before the Referendum until the end of the transitional period, providing much-needed skills for UK industry and the economy,” he continued. “The continuance of the current technical regulatory environment and trade and customs procedures is welcomed by Britain’s manufacturers, safeguarding their EU wide supply chains, but there is little time now pull the whole deal together in a way that works for everyone.”