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Market Access in Europe: Navigating Pricing & Reimbursement Pathways

07 August 2025

In Europe, the regulation of pricing and reimbursement for medicinal products is primarily governed by national policies, as EU-level regulation is limited. Our latest brochure “Market Access in Europe: Navigating Pricing & Reimbursement Pathways” introduces the laws that were introduced at European level to harmonize pricing and reimbursement in the Member States, while also outlining the national pricing and reimbursement mechanisms in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. We briefly explain how reference pricing functions in practice in Europe, and how the reimbursement system of one EU country refers to the prices of other countries in order to determine local reimbursement prices.

Reference pricing, and the local rules on when and how reimbursement for a product can be obtained directly following launch, typically determine the launch sequence for medicinal products in Europe. Pharmaceutical companies often launch new products first in major markets like Germany or France. Germany in particular often serves as an initial launch market due to its instant reimbursement system based on manufacturer-determined selling price.

The complex landscape of pricing and reimbursement in Europe requires navigating various national regulations while considering strategic factors such as reference pricing and HTA procedures. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for successful market access across different European jurisdictions.

Want clear, country-specific insights on how this all works? Download our new brochure for practical guidance on navigating pricing and reimbursement across Europe.

Market access starts here.

Authored by Charlotte Damiano, Fabien Roy, Jörg Schickert, Arne Thiermann, Hein van den Bos, Giuseppe Aminzade, Tina Welter-Birk, Álvaro Abad, Hélène Boland, Cláudia Mendes Pinto, and Chiara Perolari.