Laurent Castillo· PfE

Overestimated

Placing up to 100% of the cost on the pharmaceutical industry, particularly on generics.

Omissions

• The official EU proposal specifies 'at least 80%' of costs, not 'up to 100%'
• Generic medicines would bear around 60% of EPR costs according to industry estimates, which is disproportionate to their market share but not 100%
• The claim was made on the same day as the relevant European Parliament debate (2026-03-25) on Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive's impact on the pharmaceutical sector
• The 'polluter pays principle' is cited as the basis for the 80% minimum cost allocation

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Parliament - Parliamentary questions documentEPR scheme requiring pharmaceutical and cosmetic producers to cover at least 80% of the costs of quaternary wastewater treatment
• PrimaryEuropean Parliament News - Urban wastewater treatment rules' impact on pharmaceutical sectorExtended producer responsibility (EPR) for manufacturers of medicinal products based on polluter pays principle
• PrimaryMedicines for Europe - Case for UWWTD in the simplification omnibusEPR fees will be based on the volume of medicines sold, particularly problematic for generic medicines
• SecondaryMedicines for Europe - LinkedIn analysis on EPR feesGeneric medicines make up just 19% of pharmaceutical spending but would shoulder around 60% of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) costs