BioPharmaChem Ireland (BPCI), which represents the biopharma and chemical sectors in Ireland, has called on the government to ensure that Ireland uses its upcoming EU presidency to support the long-term competitiveness of Europe’s biopharmaceutical sector.
The group, which is part of Ibec, said that rising costs and policy gaps risk undermining future investment in the sector, as it launched its EU priorities policy document.
This document sets out key actions around competitiveness, innovation, sustainability, and regulatory reform, as well as highlighting the need for progress on key legislative initiatives, including the Critical Medicines Act and the EU Biotech Act, which are intended to strengthen supply chains and support research and development.
BioPharmaChem Ireland said that Europe’s share of global pharmaceutical research and development investment has declined in recent years, and warned that without policy changes, activity such as product development and market launches may move to other regions.
The group argued that maintaining competitiveness will require coordinated action across a range of policy areas.
‘Unique window of opportunity’
“As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the latter half of 2026, there is a unique window of opportunity to set a policy work programme that promotes the competitiveness and secures the resilience of one of Europe’s most strategic sectors,” commented Sinead Keogh, director of BioPharmaChem Ireland and head of sectors at Ibec.
“We are acutely aware of ongoing global energy volatility and geopolitical instability, but energy is just one part of a broader competitiveness challenge. Alongside championing an Affordable Energy Action Plan that recognises the biopharmachem sector as a strategically significant, energy-intensive industry, the Irish Government must prioritise policies that support innovation, strengthen supply chains and ensure Europe remains a global leader in life sciences.”
Industry uncertainty
Tim Shanahan, chair of the group, added that the global environment has changed, with geopolitical tensions and trade issues creating uncertainty for the sector.
“Europe and Ireland’s current success in life sciences no longer guarantees the future prosperity for the sector,” he said. “The EU’s position as a life sciences leader is one that must be reinforced and upheld by strategic policy intervention. The global landscape has fundamentally shifted, with geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts creating new uncertainties that challenge Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy.”
The sector employs more than 65,000 people directly in Ireland, with an additional 30,000 jobs supported indirectly. Read more here.
