REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON THE 3rd OF MARCH
Matchmaking event and high-level pharmaceutical forum between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
February to April 2023
The EU-LAC health partnership focusing on local manufacturing of vaccines, medicines, health technologies, and strengthening health systems resilience responds to the high interest manifested by leaders from both continents in strengthening their health systems and boosting local manufacturing capacities. It is meant to support ongoing regional efforts, notably the Plan for self-sufficiency in health matters, endorsed by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in September 2021, which sets out lines of action to strengthen capacities to produce and distribute vaccines and medicines in the region. Diversification of global pharmaceutical production is essential for global health security and the EU is keen to contribute to the creation of ecosystems conducive to ensuring equitable access to quality health products.
To support the above objective, the European Commission organises 1) a marketplace and matchmaking event on pharmaceuticals from 2nd of February to beginning of April 2023, and 2) a high-level forum on 21st of March.
The marketplace and matchmaking events consist of an on-line platform where entities will be able to register to identify potential partners and meet their counterparts through confidential Business-to-business (B2B) sessions which aim to:
- Build-up and strengthen the existing relationship between EU and LAC on pharmaceuticals’ production to address global and bi-regional health needs.
- Support the research uptake, innovation and manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, biosimilars and generics necessary to prevent and treat diseases particularly prevalent in LAC or relevant for global threats.
- Enhance the collaboration between EU and LAC entities in the value chains of pharmaceutical industry.
The high-level forum entitled “Sharing pharmaceutical innovations between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean” will be held on 21st of March 2023 for half a day. The forum will be the occasion to hear from public and private sector representatives, who will present sector specific challenges, how these will be addressed, and what new opportunities are emerging for closer collaboration between the EU and LAC. The scope of the forum from a products perspective includes therapeutics, vaccines, generics and biosimilars particularly to meet the public health needs of the LAC and EU markets. The forum will include panels on governments’ role, ongoing private sector-led projects, the various determinants for the sustainability of investments, and financing for the pharmaceutical sector.
