European Commission promotes matchmaking platform and EU-LAC high-level pharmaceutical forum

Madrid, 27 February 2023. The European Commission has launched an online platform of matchmaking to promote collaboration between Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) entities related to pharmaceutical production and their counterparts in the European Union (EU). In addition, the next 21 March will organise the high-level forum "Sharing pharmaceutical innovations between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean"..

The platform has been available since February and registration can be done at the following address link until 3 March. After registering, organisations will be able to identify potential partners and meet with these partners via confidential meetings Business-to-business (B2B), which will run until the end of March.

A high-level forum will also be held on 21 March, bringing together representatives from the public and private sectors. It will discuss the challenges of the sector, how to address them and the new opportunities for closer cooperation between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean.

This action aims to facilitate access to safe, effective, quality and affordable health products, stimulate growth and decent jobs, attract private sector innovation, facilitate trade, diversify global value chains and strengthen scientific, diplomatic and human links between Latin America and Europe.

Participation is expected, among others, from drug manufacturers (chemical, biological, generic and biosimilar), manufacturing companies (Contract Manufacturing Organisations, CMOs), raw material suppliers and producers, trade associations and financial institutions from both the EU and Latin America.

EU-LAC Alliance

This initiative is part of the EU-LAC health partnership, which focuses on the local production of vaccines, medicines, health technologies, as well as strengthening the resilience of health systems. This partnership responds to the strong interest expressed by the leaders of both continents to strengthen their health systems and enhance local manufacturing capacities. 

This collaboration aims to support regional efforts, in particular the Health Self-Sufficiency Plan, approved by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in September 2021, which sets out lines of action to strengthen the production and distribution capacities of vaccines and medicines in the region.

Diversification of global pharmaceutical production is essential for global health security. For this reason, the EU seeks to contribute to the creation of the conditions to ensure a equitable access to quality health products.

For more information: www.eu-lac-business-marketplace-matchmaking.b2match.io/home