For some essential antibiotics, dependence on Asian supply chains is almost total.

Omissions

• No specific antibiotic-level dependency data was found to confirm the 'almost total' claim for any individual essential antibiotic. The 80% figure applies to all APIs collectively, not specifically to antibiotics.
• The European Parliament's own 2023 study notes that there is still some European API production capacity — for example, penicillin API production in Kundl, Austria — which suggests that not all antibiotic supply chains are entirely dependent on Asia.
• The MEP did not cite a specific source for the 'almost total' claim regarding essential antibiotics.

Sources

• SecondaryPharmacia (academic journal)Up to 80% of the chemical substances required for pharmaceutical production in the EU are sourced or synthesized outside the EU, with China and India as the dominant suppliers. The article highlights critical dependency on third countries for APIs including those used in generic medicines and antibiotics.
• SecondaryEuropean Parliament (IPOL Study)The study examines reshoring of API production to secure supply. It presents three examples of local EU production, including penicillin API production in Kundl, Tyrol (Austria), indicating that some antibiotic API manufacturing capacity still exists within the EU.
• SecondaryEuropean Pharmaceutical ReviewThe European Commission conducted a comprehensive assessment in 2021 that revealed that 80 percent of API by volume imported into Europe comes from outside the EU, primarily from China and India.
• SecondaryEU Institute for Security Studies (ISS)Europe's reliance on Chinese pharmaceutical products leaves it dangerously exposed. The commentary argues that pharmaceutical security, including antibiotic supply chains, must be treated as a strategic defence priority given the concentration of API production in Asia.