Mrs Deputy Secretary General, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honour for me to have been asked to open this conference on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which speaks for the 820 million people of 47 states through their democratically elected representatives.
In my short presentation I will speak about your success story, the links between the Pharmacopeia and the Parliamentary Assembly, the future concluding with best wishes.
A success story
First of all I would like to congratulate and wish "happy birthday" on the occasion of your 50th Anniversary.
I am proud to say on the occasion of this birthday that the European Pharmacopoeia is a success story and one of pride for the Council of Europe.
As many as 37 Member States, and the European Union, are signatories of the Convention on the Elaboration of a European Pharmacopoeia reaching far beyond Europe. In fact health has no borders and must have no borders.
The positive impact of the European Pharmacopeia on public health activities across Europe is undeniable, as it sets quality standards for safe medicines and their safe use.
I have been able to see this year, at first hand, the work of the European Pharmacopeia during a visit to the laboratories and I was enormously impressed. This work is discreet but so important, and merits to be better known by the public and by members of the Parliamentary Assembly. From all the activities of the Council of Europe, your work is among the most important and the less expensive one, but at the same time the least known. This means that you are far too modest.
I might add that I am delighted that a compatriot, Dr Jean-Louis Robert, is Chair of the European Pharmacopoeia Commission.
Links to PACE
Our Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development - also plays a role in improving the health and dignity of all citizens of Europe. One of the most important initiatives the Assembly undertook in this context was to push for a Convention on the counterfeiting of medicines, - known as the Medicrime Convention – covering an issue highly relevant for the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM). Indeed, the counterfeiting of medicines has recently grown into an industry that kills hundreds of thousands of people a year. What was once confined to small-scale production is now an activity that can be associated with organised crime generating huge profits for counterfeiters. Europe is not spared from this phenomenon and there is need for committed political and legislative action in all Council of Europe member states and beyond to tackle this.
Although it may not be obvious to you, PACE has also a voice in these discussions. And I do believe that it is important that lawmakers are involved and aware of the challenges in the field of medicines, because it is in fact Parliaments that need to ratify the Convention.
In the last two years, the Committee on Social Affairs and Health has been actively involved in the ongoing efforts to promote the Medicrime Convention, which to date, has been ratified, alas, by only four countries.
There is no doubt that the Convention will reach its full potential only when it is ratified by other countries in Europe and beyond. We have to reach out globally, starting with a core number of states which will equip themselves with robust systems to prevent counterfeit medicines penetrating the supply chain. Based on its experience of campaigning for the signature and ratification of other Council of Europe Conventions, the Assembly is ready to support the EDQM in increasing the number of ratifications for the Medicrime Convention by trying to generate the political will to take action against counterfeiting of medicines.
Another area relevant to your work where the Committee has been closely involved is the elaboration of the Council of Europe Convention against trafficking in human organs, a worldwide phenomenon which, just like counterfeiting of medicines, contravenes the most basic standards in terms of human rights.
The job is far from complete
The EDQM needs to permanently adapt in order to go on protecting public health and European patients.
Furthermore, investing in the future and in new areas such as pharmaceutical care and cosmetics is essential.
Wishes for the future
In my concluding remarks, I would like to call for continued support for the important work of the EDQM from all the institutions and Member States.
I would also like to reiterate the Assembly's readiness to assist you in further work.
At the end allow me to make a suggestion: don't be so modest.
To another 50 successful years – santé!
Thank you.