Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001610/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Aurelijus Veryga (ECR)
The application of extended producer responsibility (EPR) to pharmaceuticals under Article 9 of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive raises several concerns. Notably, only the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors are required to finance the removal of micropollutants, despite contributions to such pollution from various other industries.
The directive’s impact assessment lacks a comprehensive analysis of its implications for the pharmaceutical industry, particularly regarding access to medicines and pricing, at a time when many Member States are already facing shortages of medicinal products and efforts are under way to enhance the EU’s pharmaceutical autonomy.
In the light of these issues:
- 1.Does the Commission plan to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the EPR’s impact on patient access to medicines and on healthcare system costs?
- 2.If so, would the Commission consider pausing the implementation of the directive until such an assessment is completed?
- 3.Does the Commission intend to review the directive and consider expanding the scope of the EPR scheme to include other sectors contributing to water pollution, in order to ensure a fair and equitable application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle?
Submitted: 23.4.2025