Medicines against the European Union: Who should pay the treatment of urban wastewater?

Los Pharmaceutical industrial actors Cosmetics submitted an appeal before the European Union’s Court of Justice against the direction Urban wastewater treatment. European guidance, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, is forced Medicines producers and cosmetics To finance at least 80 % of the treatment to eliminate Microcontaminans from urban wastewater, according to the principle “Whoever pollutes pays.”

More than 90 % of “microcontaminant that leaves liquid waste from Wastewater treatment plants“They come from pharmaceutical products and cosmetics,” said EURENEWS HANS GOSSENS, head of Water Eurobe. In his opinion, So it is “Al -Adil” that “80 % of the costs of the judiciary From this waste they are responsible for those who generate it. “The principle of those who pay pollutants is the cornerstone of European environmental policy.”

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For its part, Pharmaceutical sectors and cosmetics They consider that the pregnancy should be distributed more complicated. “We all support the payment of the part that corresponds to us from Pollution is born“EFPIA), but it should be a fair part.”

“We are trying to know who are different pollutants And make sure that this important guidance has been established on the correct principles and that all actors participate. It is not only to pay what is compatible with them, but also to encourage them to manufacture more sustainable products in the future, “he adds. EFPIA director also regrets Failure to reach the methodology and data of the European Commission.

Huge bill

The committee is estimated at 1.2 billion euros annually Additional treatment in wastewater treatment plants. While some claim that it is a decrease in the ocean compared to the size of a business PharmaceuticalEurope’s drugs consider this guidance to be “unpopular” and access to greenery and Medicine.

Because we cannot legally increase The price of the drug In Europe, this (guidance) will make these drugs not available to patients, which creates a Tsunami scarcity“Eurono” said.

Countries, for example, The cost of diabetes Metafamen can increase by 900 % and people with antibiotics for amoxicillin by 350 %. In total, the factors of the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, including Accord Healthcare France, Dermapharm, EFPIA, Adamp Pharma, Hexal and Cosmetics Eurupe 16 resources have been provided Before the European Union’s Court of Justice. Poland also took the matter before the European Union’s Justice Court.

Committee response

Which “Euronws”, the committee guarantees that the possible effects of the expanded responsibility of the product Pharmaceutical It is carefully evaluated in the evaluation of the effect. The repercussions of “the prices of pharmaceutical products” and “reduce Profit margins “The industry must be marginal,” says a committee spokesman.

He adds that ” The guidance gives countries Members are a great flexibility to calculate the rates and ensure that they are provided and do not affect Access and the price of medicines. “