The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the temporary suspension of the Extended Producer Responsibility provisions under the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which require pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies to finance a significant share of the costs associated with removing micropollutants from wastewater.

Supporters of the resolution request that the European Commission conduct an independent assessment of pollution sources and the economic impact of the legislation before the obligations are applied, as they argue that the current framework could contribute to medicine shortages and negatively affect the competitiveness of the pharmaceutical sector, particularly generic medicines manufacturers.

The resolution is not legally binding but increases political pressure on the European Commission to consider a temporary suspension mechanism or legislative adjustments to the implementation of the directive. The Commission is expected to review the evidence and determine whether further legislative or implementation measures are required.

In this regard, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations welcomed the European Parliament’s resolution calling for a review of the EPR provisions under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and urged the European Commission to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment and engage with stakeholders to ensure that environmental objectives can be achieved without undermining patient access to medicines, pharmaceutical innovation and the resilience of medicine supply chains in Europe.