The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has provisionally selected 18 projects under the call for proposals aimed at supporting strategic initiatives for industrial transition in the pharmaceutical sector and related medical devices. Total aid amounts to 15.6 million euros. This call is designed to strengthen the industrial base and forms part of the Pioneer Health PERTE initiative within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, funded by European funds. In terms of geographic distribution, Catalonia, Castile-La Mancha, Madrid and the Basque Country are notable recipients.
A total of 27 applications were submitted by 24 companies. The requests total 28.8 million euros when combining loans and grants. With the release of these provisional proposals, the aid process continues and a window for potential claims is opened. Applicants have 10 working days from the publication of the provisional proposal to present any arguments they deem relevant.
Concern in the industry
The announcement arrives at a moment of heightened concern within the pharmaceutical sector. After 2022 a slowdown began to be observed in exports, even as solid progress previously supported growth. European pharmaceutical producers warn of competitiveness losses relative to the United States and Asia, urging faster legislative changes to safeguard industrial property and spur innovation. The employers’ association Farmaindustria notes that while 41% of new medicines were produced in Europe in the early 1990s, only 21% were produced in the 2017-2021 period. Public assistance to the pharmaceutical industry is seen as instrumental for modernizing production facilities while maintaining focus on research and clinical trials.
The evolving legal framework in Europe is still under construction, and there are issues to resolve before the final draft. Nathalie Moll, Director General of the Federation of the European Pharmaceutical Industry, remarked at a sector meeting that the proposed European Commission measures include both beneficial elements and provisions that could pose risks to the continent’s research and development model. The discussion continues at academic and industry forums, including the Menéndez Pelayo Santander University.
The Federation of the European Pharmaceutical Industry (EFPIA), which includes Farmaindustria, along with four other organizations, has signed a manifesto proposing a set of recommendations for a new legal framework. The goal is to ensure quality in therapies, reduce uncertainty and protect patients. Particular attention is drawn to the regulation of advanced therapy medicinal products.
Three axes of development
Within the pharmaceutical sector in Spain, three core elements were identified as pivotal to driving activity. First, facilitate access to innovation, shorten lead times and secure the availability of innovative medicines through a stable, open, agile and predictable framework. Second, reinforce Spain’s leadership in biomedical research and development by fostering stronger links between laboratories and clinical practice, with emphasis on translational research. Third, strengthen the domestic production base by promoting jobs and growth, while reducing dependence on external sources for essential medicines. Jesfas Ponce, president of Farmaindustria, stressed that work on the Strategic Plan for the Pharmaceutical Industry has been ongoing for months and should be accelerated into concrete action soon.