Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union
Encyclopedia
The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) is the European association representing community pharmacist
s. PGEU’s members are the national associations and representative bodies of community pharmacists in 30 European countries including the 25 European Union member states, European Union
applicant and acceding countries and European Economic Area
members.
PGEU was founded in 1959 in parallel with what has today become the European Union. It was at the first “pharmacy days” meeting held in Milan
, Italy
in 1959 that the participants decided to formalise their co-operation by founding the association which today is known as PGEU in English
or GPUE (Groupement pharmaceutique de l’Union Européenne) in French
. At that time, it was known simply as "Le Groupement Pharmaceutique". The pharmacists’ associations of the six founding members of the EU became the six founding members of the PGEU.
As European political and economic co-operation changed and developed over time, so has the PGEU. When PGEU was founded, its main purpose was exchanging information on pharmacy practice and the different models of pharmacy. Over the years, as the EU has increased its competences and actions in the area of health and pharmaceuticals, PGEU has had to adapt itself to the changing environment. For example the 1980s saw the introduction of harmonised training and education of Community pharmacists through directives 85/432/EEC, laying out the length and content of the pharmacy qualification and directive 85/433/EEC lays down the procedures for the mutual recognition of pharmacy degrees across the EU. The Amsterdam Treaty
introduced an EU competence in public health through article 152 which uses the principle of subsidiarity meaning that EU only acts where it can enhance and complement the activities of Member States and the organisation, funding and delivery of healthcare remains firmly with the Member States. Since article 152, the EU has been proposing legislation and initiatives in a wider range of areas related to public health. This means PGEU needs to do more than just exchange information and be aware of and learn from other pharmacy models.
PGEU’s mission is to promote the role of the pharmacist as a key actor in public health.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
s. PGEU’s members are the national associations and representative bodies of community pharmacists in 30 European countries including the 25 European Union member states, European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
applicant and acceding countries and European Economic Area
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
members.
PGEU was founded in 1959 in parallel with what has today become the European Union. It was at the first “pharmacy days” meeting held in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1959 that the participants decided to formalise their co-operation by founding the association which today is known as PGEU in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
or GPUE (Groupement pharmaceutique de l’Union Européenne) in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. At that time, it was known simply as "Le Groupement Pharmaceutique". The pharmacists’ associations of the six founding members of the EU became the six founding members of the PGEU.
As European political and economic co-operation changed and developed over time, so has the PGEU. When PGEU was founded, its main purpose was exchanging information on pharmacy practice and the different models of pharmacy. Over the years, as the EU has increased its competences and actions in the area of health and pharmaceuticals, PGEU has had to adapt itself to the changing environment. For example the 1980s saw the introduction of harmonised training and education of Community pharmacists through directives 85/432/EEC, laying out the length and content of the pharmacy qualification and directive 85/433/EEC lays down the procedures for the mutual recognition of pharmacy degrees across the EU. The Amsterdam Treaty
Amsterdam Treaty
The Amsterdam Treaty, officially the Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, was signed on 2 October 1997, and entered into force on 1 May 1999; it made substantial changes to the Maastricht Treaty,...
introduced an EU competence in public health through article 152 which uses the principle of subsidiarity meaning that EU only acts where it can enhance and complement the activities of Member States and the organisation, funding and delivery of healthcare remains firmly with the Member States. Since article 152, the EU has been proposing legislation and initiatives in a wider range of areas related to public health. This means PGEU needs to do more than just exchange information and be aware of and learn from other pharmacy models.
PGEU’s mission is to promote the role of the pharmacist as a key actor in public health.