“We’re having a lot of meetings and different topics with all the stakeholders, including, obviously the pharma industry, but other stakeholders as well, from health insurance funds to patient organizations,” Sokol said, adding that he has “no doubts” that the incoming Danish presidency will act within the Council’s mandate.
“Fearing that there will be some kind of a very one-sided or imbalanced solution … is not realistic,” he added. The final text will result from “many, many compromises” reached between different political groups and EU countries.
However, Denmark, during the closed-door negotiations, can lean toward either the Commission’s proposal — which pushes for greater access to innovation — or team up with the Parliament. The following presidency is Cyprus — home of former Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides who proposed the overhaul. Cyprus could be more keen to align with the Commission’s original proposal, especially if rumors that market exclusivity talks might be left for the end of the negotiations are true.
Can Denmark seal the deal?
Can Denmark seal the deal before Cyprus takes over? Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has made clear his intention to finalize both the pharma package and the Critical Medicines Act this year.
There is also another pressure: Trump plans to impose new drug pricing limits in America, threatening a “most favored nation” formula of adopting the lowest price from a basket of countries if companies don’t lower their prices. It’s a measure which, if pursued, would weaken pharma’s argument for better rewards in Europe to entice the industry to invest.
Despite pressures to close the file before Cyprus takes over in January 2026, Danish officials have so far avoided setting expectations.
Still, Sokol is hopeful: “It is possible; it will not be easy.”
