Pöördumine

1

Hosams Abu Meri

Minister for Health

Republic of Latvia

Kamen Joller

Minister of Social Affairs

Republic of Estonia

Marija Jakubauskienė

Minister of Health

Republic of Lithuania

6 May 2025

No. 1/0525-186

Dear Ministers,

On behalf of the Baltic Assembly, we would like to express our assurances of our highest

consideration to the Baltic Council of Ministers.

On 27-28 March 2025, the meeting of the Health, Welfare and Family Committee of the Baltic

Assembly was held in Tallinn. The parliamentarians, governmental representatives and experts

discussed how to enhance healthcare through data exchange in the Baltic States. The

Committee also addressed the cooperation of the Baltic States to promote joint medical

procurements and build up reserves in healthcare.

The members of the Committee concluded that the Baltic States have demonstrated strong

examples of healthcare cooperation in the past and continue to excel in separate project-based

cooperation. The meeting underscored the commitment of the Baltic States to strengthening

healthcare through enhanced data exchange and collaborative procurement strategies. The

discussions highlighted the potential of the Baltic region to lead in digital health innovation as

the vision of “health without borders” positions the countries to not only improve their

healthcare systems but also to contribute to the broader European health landscape. However,

it was agreed that the countries would continue to face challenges, particularly in the area of

joint medical procurements.

Joint medical procurements are crucial for optimising healthcare resources, ensuring better

access to essential medicines and reducing costs through collective bargaining power. By

pooling our purchasing capacities, the Baltic States can leverage economies of scale, secure

more favourable terms from suppliers and enhance the efficiency of our healthcare systems.

The Baltic Partnership Agreement on Joint Procurements of Medicinal Products and Medical

Devices and Lending of Medicinal Products and Medical Devices Procurable Centrally has

played a pivotal role in this process, providing a framework for cooperation that facilitates joint

procurement initiatives and supports the sharing of best practices among the Baltic States. This

collaboration also ensures that the Baltic States remain competitive in the global healthcare

market while safeguarding the quality and accessibility of medicines for our populations.

2

However, the Baltic States face several challenges that need to be addressed to enhance the

efficiency and effectiveness of cross-border healthcare cooperation. During the meeting, it

was concluded that a key issue is the lack of dedicated personnel responsible for

overseeing the implementation, coordination and progress of the Baltic Partnership

Agreement. Appointing such personnel is essential to ensure that the initiative moves forward

smoothly and that efforts are properly managed and executed. Additionally, it was

emphasised that there is a need for the Baltic States to jointly develop a clear investment

plan that would outline the necessary personnel, financial resources, and define realistic

timelines to guide and structure the progress of the initiative, ensuring the alignment of goals

and expectations between the countries. Moving forward, the focus should shift towards the

division of joint procurements from joint negotiations, particularly when it comes to innovative

medicines. Addressing these challenges will be crucial in securing the effectiveness of joint

medical procurements, ultimately improving healthcare access and outcomes in the Baltic

region. Therefore, we would like to receive answers to the following questions:

⎯ What have been the main challenges in implementing joint medical procurements across the Baltic States, and what steps are being taken to address these obstacles?

⎯ Given the existing project-based cooperation, what steps could the governments of the Baltic States take to establish a dedicated personnel structure to oversee and coordinate the Baltic Partnership Agreement?

⎯ What steps could the governments of the Baltic States take to jointly develop a clear investment plan with realistic timelines and milestones to guide and structure the progress of the Baltic Partnership Agreement?

⎯ What collaborative negotiation strategies are being considered for procuring medicines, particularly for rare diseases and innovative treatments?

We would highly appreciate receiving clear and detailed answers to the aforementioned

questions and other reflections by 23 May 2025.

Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Chair of the Health, Welfare

and Family Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Member of the Health,

Welfare and Family

Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Vice Chair of the Health,

Welfare and Family

Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Antoņina Ņenaševa

Republic of Latvia

Riina Solman

Republic of Estonia

Saulius Čaplinskas

Republic of Lithuania

Contact person: Rovena Berga-Minkeviča, [email protected]

1

Hosams Abu Meri

Minister for Health

Republic of Latvia

Kamen Joller

Minister of Social Affairs

Republic of Estonia

Marija Jakubauskienė

Minister of Health

Republic of Lithuania

6 May 2025

No. 1/0525-186

Dear Ministers,

On behalf of the Baltic Assembly, we would like to express our assurances of our highest

consideration to the Baltic Council of Ministers.

On 27-28 March 2025, the meeting of the Health, Welfare and Family Committee of the Baltic

Assembly was held in Tallinn. The parliamentarians, governmental representatives and experts

discussed how to enhance healthcare through data exchange in the Baltic States. The

Committee also addressed the cooperation of the Baltic States to promote joint medical

procurements and build up reserves in healthcare.

The members of the Committee concluded that the Baltic States have demonstrated strong

examples of healthcare cooperation in the past and continue to excel in separate project-based

cooperation. The meeting underscored the commitment of the Baltic States to strengthening

healthcare through enhanced data exchange and collaborative procurement strategies. The

discussions highlighted the potential of the Baltic region to lead in digital health innovation as

the vision of “health without borders” positions the countries to not only improve their

healthcare systems but also to contribute to the broader European health landscape. However,

it was agreed that the countries would continue to face challenges, particularly in the area of

joint medical procurements.

Joint medical procurements are crucial for optimising healthcare resources, ensuring better

access to essential medicines and reducing costs through collective bargaining power. By

pooling our purchasing capacities, the Baltic States can leverage economies of scale, secure

more favourable terms from suppliers and enhance the efficiency of our healthcare systems.

The Baltic Partnership Agreement on Joint Procurements of Medicinal Products and Medical

Devices and Lending of Medicinal Products and Medical Devices Procurable Centrally has

played a pivotal role in this process, providing a framework for cooperation that facilitates joint

procurement initiatives and supports the sharing of best practices among the Baltic States. This

collaboration also ensures that the Baltic States remain competitive in the global healthcare

market while safeguarding the quality and accessibility of medicines for our populations.

2

However, the Baltic States face several challenges that need to be addressed to enhance the

efficiency and effectiveness of cross-border healthcare cooperation. During the meeting, it

was concluded that a key issue is the lack of dedicated personnel responsible for

overseeing the implementation, coordination and progress of the Baltic Partnership

Agreement. Appointing such personnel is essential to ensure that the initiative moves forward

smoothly and that efforts are properly managed and executed. Additionally, it was

emphasised that there is a need for the Baltic States to jointly develop a clear investment

plan that would outline the necessary personnel, financial resources, and define realistic

timelines to guide and structure the progress of the initiative, ensuring the alignment of goals

and expectations between the countries. Moving forward, the focus should shift towards the

division of joint procurements from joint negotiations, particularly when it comes to innovative

medicines. Addressing these challenges will be crucial in securing the effectiveness of joint

medical procurements, ultimately improving healthcare access and outcomes in the Baltic

region. Therefore, we would like to receive answers to the following questions:

⎯ What have been the main challenges in implementing joint medical procurements across the Baltic States, and what steps are being taken to address these obstacles?

⎯ Given the existing project-based cooperation, what steps could the governments of the Baltic States take to establish a dedicated personnel structure to oversee and coordinate the Baltic Partnership Agreement?

⎯ What steps could the governments of the Baltic States take to jointly develop a clear investment plan with realistic timelines and milestones to guide and structure the progress of the Baltic Partnership Agreement?

⎯ What collaborative negotiation strategies are being considered for procuring medicines, particularly for rare diseases and innovative treatments?

We would highly appreciate receiving clear and detailed answers to the aforementioned

questions and other reflections by 23 May 2025.

Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Chair of the Health, Welfare

and Family Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Member of the Health,

Welfare and Family

Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Vice Chair of the Health,

Welfare and Family

Committee

of the Baltic Assembly

Antoņina Ņenaševa

Republic of Latvia

Riina Solman

Republic of Estonia

Saulius Čaplinskas

Republic of Lithuania

Contact person: Rovena Berga-Minkeviča, [email protected]