EUROPEAN DRUG FIRMS ATTACK EU 'SINGLE MARKET' MOVES.

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) has come out strongly against the recent Communication from the European Commission on completing the single market for pharmaceuticals. It says the Commission is disregarding the European Council's explicit requests to bring forward plans to further deregulate the pharmaceutical market and to address the issue of parallel trade. EFPIA dismisses the Communication as "deep disappointment".

Brian Ager, Director-General of EFPIA, says "the Communication ignores the industrial policy considerations" which, he says, have been explored in the series of Round Tables organised by EU Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann and bringing together industry and Member States over...