The European Union (EU) plans to create a strategic stockpile of scarce medicines and obligate manufacturers to guarantee their supplies. This is reported by the Financial Times (FT), citing a representative of the European Commission (EC).

According to the interlocutor of the publication, the lack of pharmaceutical products is a "systemic challenge" for the EU member states, so the EC plans to ensure "strategic autonomy" in the supply of basic medicines such as paracetamol and penicillin.

The FT source also said that in the near future the EC would soon propose legislation to “secure access to medicines for all patients in need.” 

The reform would require “stronger obligations for supply, earlier notification of shortages and withdrawals and enhanced transparency of stocks,” the commission said.

According to Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, discussions on these measures have already taken place with representatives of the sector.