The Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF) held its Annual General Assembly on Monday 19 October at the Divani Caravel hotel, with its member companies in attendance.
The event was attended by the Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr Kyriakos Pierrakakis; the Minister of Development, Mr Takis Theodorikakos; the President of the National Organisation for Medicines (EOF), Mr Spyros Sapounas; the Governor of EOPYY, Mr Athanasios Zamanis; the President of EOPYY, Ms Vassiliki-Konstantina Gogozotou; and the President of the National Central Health Procurement Authority (EKAPY), Mr Aris Apostolou.
The Assembly reviewed the year’s performance and discussed the sector’s challenges and strategic priorities for 2027–2030, with a focus on strengthening the country’s production base, attracting investment and ensuring an adequate supply of medicines.
At a time of rising demands for European competitiveness and supply-chain security, the Greek pharmaceutical industry is a strategic asset for the country, making a substantial contribution to economic growth, employment, exports and public health.
PEF underlined the need for a stable and predictable framework for pharmaceutical and industrial policy that would encourage productive investment and strengthen the sector’s long-term sustainability. Supporting the domestic pharmaceutical industry is not merely a choice for growth, but a strategic investment in the resilience of the economy and the security of the health system.
PEF President Mr Theodoros Tryfon said: “Strengthening Greek and European industry requires competitive energy costs, strong investment incentives and a stable regulatory framework to accelerate investment, technological upgrading and the transition to cleaner production.
For Greece, strengthening manufacturing is a key prerequisite for transforming the country’s production model, with more investment in production and exports, higher domestic added value and a stronger role in international production chains. A critical issue for policy in the coming years is tackling clawback, which diverts significant resources away from investment.
At the same time, linking education and research with production, developing skills and making use of modern technologies are essential to boosting productivity, developing competitive products and creating highly skilled jobs.”
The Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr Kyriakos Pierrakakis, said: “The Greek pharmaceutical industry is a model manufacturing sector, with strong export activity, investment in research and innovation, and a significant contribution to the creation of well-paid jobs.
Our aim is to move towards a production model with higher added value, more investment, increased productivity and a stable, predictable framework for businesses. The state is actively supporting the sector’s growth potential through financing tools and investment incentives, including an increase in the rebate through the investment clawback for 2026–2027. A priority is to establish a sustainable framework that combines support for domestic production with the sustainability of the health system.
At a time of heightened international challenges, strengthening the Greek pharmaceutical industry is a strategic choice for the country’s production resilience and Europe’s pharmaceutical autonomy. Our ambition is for Greece to become one of Europe’s important centres for pharmaceutical production, research and innovation, creating new opportunities for growth and employment.”
The Minister of Development, Mr Takis Theodorikakos, said: “The Greek pharmaceutical industry is an important pillar of the Greek economy, helping to boost production, employment, research and innovation, as well as the country’s competitiveness.
Its contribution to developing the production base and creating innovative pharmaceutical products is particularly important, while its presence strengthens Greece’s position in the European pharmaceutical ecosystem.
In this context, the Ministry of Development is actively supporting the Greek pharmaceutical industry by making use of the development tools available. The General Secretariat for Research and Innovation also plays an important role in this effort, with its services fulfilling their responsibilities and supporting research and innovation activity.
Our aim is to further strengthen the links between research and production, so that new products can be developed and the competitiveness of the Greek economy enhanced.”
The PEF General Assembly confirmed the need for a coherent national strategy to enhance the role of the Greek pharmaceutical industry, strengthen the country’s production autonomy and ensure patients have consistent access to the treatments they need.