##  [General Pharmaceutical Legislation](/about/novartis-and-european-union/general-pharmaceutical-legislation "General Pharmaceutical Legislation")

 The EU’s **General Pharmaceutical Legislation (GPL)** provides the foundation for how medicines are developed, authorized and made available across Europe. Its reform provided an opportunity to modernize a framework that was designed for a different era of science, healthcare delivery and geopolitics.

The GPL sought to support timely patient access, strengthen security of supply, and ensure Europe remains an attractive environment for research, clinical trials and advanced manufacturing; all while upholding high standards for safety, quality and affordability.

**Why the General Pharmaceutical Legislation matters**

- Updates the EU regulatory framework for medicines across their full lifecycle
- Adjusts incentives for innovation, including regulatory data protection that supports long-term R&D investment
- Influences patient access timelines across Member States, within national pricing and reimbursement systems
- Impacts Europe’s global competitiveness in life sciences, at a time of intensifying international competition
- Introduces new measures on supply security and health system preparedness, including efforts to address shortages