Europe can lead the next chapter in healthcare innovation

When people talk about Europe’s competitiveness, the conversation often focuses on the challenges ahead. And while those are real, they sometimes overlook something important: Europe starts from a position of strength.

Few regions in the world can match the combination of clinical excellence, scientific expertise, industrial capability and collaborative spirit that exists across Europe today. From leading cancer centres and academic hospitals to research institutes and medical technology companies, there is no shortage of expertise, ambition or innovation.

Some of the most exciting work happening today in areas such as precision medicine, molecular imaging and AI is the result of European clinicians, researchers and industry working side by side. Whether it is accelerating innovation, generating new evidence or expanding patient access to care, progress happens faster when expertise is combined, and barriers are removed. That ecosystem is one of Europe’s greatest assets.

A valuable asset: Europe’s industrial depth

Europe also has something increasingly valuable in today’s world: industrial depth. Across our region, thousands of highly skilled people contribute every day to designing, developing, manufacturing and supporting medical technologies. From research centres and engineering hubs to production facilities and supply chains, Europe has built capabilities that have taken decades to develop, and that cannot easily be replicated elsewhere. That industrial base is strongest when it stays open and globally connected: the ambition should be to build with Europe, not only in Europe. This means attracting investment, sourcing competitively and scaling globally, backed by procurement frameworks that strengthen our life sciences ecosystem while keeping patients’ access to the best technologies, wherever they’re made. Open, free and fair trade remains essential to Europe’s long-term competitiveness and resilience.

These capabilities matter. They create jobs, support local economies and help strengthen the resilience of our healthcare systems. Just as importantly, they ensure that Europe remains a place where innovation is not only invented, but also developed, produced and scaled.

Investing in Europe’s talent advantage

Talent will be another defining factor in Europe’s future success. The next generation of healthcare innovation will increasingly sit at the intersection of medicine, engineering, data science and artificial intelligence. Europe has an extraordinary pool of talent across all of these disciplines, but we cannot take that advantage for granted. We must continue to invest in education, research and innovation and create an environment where the best talent can thrive and make a difference.

Building on strong foundations

The good news is that the foundations are already there. Europe has the expertise. Europe has the institutions. Europe has the industrial base. Europe has the openness to the world that makes all of this stronger. Europe has the talent. What we need now is confidence in our ability to build on these strengths and a shared commitment to creating the right conditions for innovation to flourish.

I am optimistic about the future of our industry and the role Europe can play in shaping it. As healthcare systems evolve and patient needs become increasingly complex, the med tech sector has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to help drive meaningful progress. By fostering innovation, strengthening partnerships and continuing to invest in people, we can ensure Europe remains a global leader in healthcare technology for decades to come.