The EDQM’s international conference held in Tallinn to mark the publication of the 9th edition of the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) brought together participants from 41 different countries (including Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan and USA), representing European and international regulatory authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO), pharmacopoeias from different continents as well as industry and associations from Europe and beyond.

The first plenary session addressed the EDQM’s role in the context of the European regulatory environment. Speakers on this topic included Prof Guido Rasi, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and Prof Klaus Cichutek, Chair of the Management Group of the European Union Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA), who provided an update on current challenges faced by the European regulatory network and underlined the important contributions of the EDQM in ensuring access to good quality medicines for patients.