From dependence to autonomy: Why Austria must become the backbone of European pharmaceutical supply
Supply shortages of pharmaceutical products are also a reality in Austria, but they do not automatically mean a supply gap. Despite existing restrictions, supply to patients can in most cases still be maintained. Shortages do exist, however, and represent an increasing organisational burden for pharmacies, wholesale distributors and manufacturers. As General Manager of Complex Pharmaceuticals GmbH, I see it as our task to shift the discussion from the mere treatment of symptoms towards a genuine structural solution: the recapture of European supply sovereignty.
The architecture of dependency
An improvement in the supply situation has been achieved through the mandatory stockpiling of selected pharmaceutical products that has been in force since April 2025. For defined products, minimum inventories must now be maintained, as a result of which certain pharmaceutical products have become considerably more reliably available. Stockpiling primarily represents a medium-term solution, however, and cannot replace the structural causes of supply shortages.
A key reason for the increasing shortages lies in the sustained pricing pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers. In recent years, production capacities have been increasingly relocated to low-cost regions in order to remain economically viable. This development has led to longer and more fragile supply chains that are now much more sensitive to disruptions.
Mandatory stockpiling is also dependent on functioning supply chains. The actual availability of stored material depends on whether manufacturing, secondary processing, logistics and regulatory requirements at national and European level work together smoothly. Stockpiling alone can therefore not guarantee lasting stability. Moreover, the existing measures involve national stockpiles, not a European coordinated system. In the long term, a more closely coordinated European solution may therefore be beneficial in order to make supply chains more robust and to secure pharmaceutical supply more sustainably. National stockpiling improves the situation in the short term — lasting stabilisation, however, requires structural measures at the European level.
Austria as a key location
Why are we investing massively in the Austrian location while others are relocating? Because Austria offers ideal prerequisites. We have here the rare combination of regulatory stability, excellently trained specialists and a central location in Europe. Our new 7,800 m² facility is a statement for this location. This is not just about capacity, but about intelligence. We rely on modular line management. This is the technical answer to the economic challenges. Through automation and rapid format changes, we can compensate for the higher ancillary labour costs in Austria. We are making the location competitive through technology.
FAQ: Supply security & location
- Why is secondary packaging so important for supply security? It is the last step before the patient. Without the correct packaging, serialisation and labelling, no medication may be placed on the market. Local capacities significantly shorten the ‘time to market’ here.
- How does Complex Pharmaceuticals offset the high costs in Austria? Through a high degree of automation, digitalisation of processes and a modular plant architecture that minimises downtime.
- What does ‘supply sovereignty’ mean concretely for the patient? That pharmaceutical products are manufactured, tested and secondarily processed in Europe, so that they are available in pharmacies at all times, independently of global crises.