One of my main priorities as an MEP has always been to ensure that all Maltese citizens have the same rights and opportunities and are treated equally to individuals from other EU States. Although we are one of the smaller countries in the European Union, this does not mean that our people should be disadvantaged because of our size.

During the past few months, we have seen how smaller states such as Malta, Cyprus and Ireland can be discriminated when it comes to having access to affordable pharmaceutical products. The decision to effectively place a product on the Member States' markets is solely based on the pharmaceutical companies' commercial and economic interests.

It is a known fact that unfortunately private companies often have no incentive to place a medicinal product in the small Member States. These countries have become strongly dependent upon the supply of medicine from and through the United Kingdom. Brexit has affected us very negatively in this regard, including an immediate problem of access and shortages to pharmaceutical products.

It is for that reason that a few weeks back I had pushed forward the idea of submitting an urgent question to the European Commission and sent a cross parliamentary letter to pressure the European Commission in seeking a way on how to solve this issue which is affecting Maltese patients every day.

This week the European Commission has replied to the letter we had sent on the issue, agreeing with my assessment that the current situation creates difficulties for access to affordable medicines for Maltese patients, higher prices for pharmaceutical products, and even the withdrawal of particular products.

The Commission explained to us how innovative therapies do not always reach the patient, resulting in a situation that patients in the EU still have different levels of access to medicines. Companies are not obliged to market a medicine in all EU countries and they may decide not to market their medicines in, or withdraw them from one or more countries.

I am glad that in this reply we have been promised that the European Commission will be revising the system of incentives and obligations in the pharmaceutical legislation, to make sure that medicines are accessible and affordable to all EU markets. While the decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines will remain within the competence of Member States, an effort will be made to step up co-operation with and among health authorities which will improve transparency.

A clear focus will also be put on minimising the impact of medicines shortages on patient care. This will require various measures, including stronger obligations for supply and transparency, earlier notification of shortages and withdrawals, and stronger EU coordination to monitor and avoid shortages.

However, I am afraid that this will not be enough to address the challenges Malta will face with access to medicinal products. Until the EU pharmaceutical legislation creates a single open market, Malta will need a concrete permanent solution so that all our citizens can have access to affordable medicinal products.

I have always been clear that our energy as MEPs should be spent on making sure that we tackle the challenges that the Maltese are facing every day. This promise by the European Commission is a step forward in making sure that there will no longer be discrepancies in regulations and prices due to the size of an EU State. I will maintain pressure to ensure that in the coming months, this issue will be a matter of the past and finally Maltese citizens also start benefiting from equal access to medicine as they deserve.