EU Council calls for European Life Sciences Investment Fund

EU governments have urged the European Commission to explore creating a dedicated European Life Sciences Investment Fund, aimed at strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in research, innovation, and biotechnology. The proposal, endorsed at a meeting of research ministers in Brussels on 30 September, would channel new private and public investment through the European Investment Fund (EIF)—part of the European Investment Bank Group.

Ministers argue that strong and innovative life sciences are vital for Europe’s strategic autonomy, public health, and green transition. The EU’s current life sciences ecosystem remains fragmented, with limited private investment, slow technology transfer, and regulatory complexity all impeding growth. Governments called for coordinated action across the entire innovation chain—from basic research to scale-up and market uptake.

The Council conclusions also underline an urgent need to reverse the EU’s declining share of clinical trials, which dropped from 22% in 2013 to 12% in 2023. Governments recommend accelerating multi-country and multi-centre clinical trials, supported by an investment plan the Commission is due to present in 2026. They also urge that this plan be delivered earlier, by the end of 2025.

Further priorities include advancing advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), developing a network of European centres of excellence, and supporting the roll-out of the European Health Data Space to improve access to data for researchers and innovators.

Together, these measures are intended to position Europe as a global leader in life sciences innovation by the end of the decade, reinforcing the vision set out in the Commission’s Life Sciences Strategy.

Read more on the Council’s conclusions here.