Chemelot Circular Hub
CCH
Realize the transition towards a net zero circular chemical site and become a leading circular regional hub in Europe.
ID: 785967048392-13
Lobbying Activity
Response to EU Life sciences strategy
17 Apr 2025
The combined strengths of BRIGHTLANDS CHEMELOT CAMPUS and BRIGHTLANDS MAASTRICHT HEALTH CAMPUS form one of Europes most dynamic life sciences ecosystems. With industry leaders like MEDTRONIC, LONZA, and BASIC PHARMA, in synergy with academic and clinical research partners, we strongly welcome the Commissions initiative to shape a European Life Sciences Strategy (LSS). It is a timely opportunity to reverse Europes innovation lag and lead in translating health and biotech advances into impact. 1. FROM SCIENCE TO IMPACT: ACCELERATING INDUSTRIAL AND CLINICAL UPTAKE Europe leads in life sciences research but trails in deployment. The LSS should unlock this bottleneck by: - scaling up TRL 5-9 innovation infrastructure, including GMP facilities, clinical testing, and demo manufacturing; - supporting regional health valleys, like Brightlands, where science, industry and hospitals converge; - investing in integrated R&D and industrial acceleration, particularly for advanced therapies, diagnostics, and medtech. 2. TACKLE REGULATORY COMPLEXITY AND FRAGMENTATION One of the most persistent barriers to scale is regulatory burden. The LSS must: - harmonise procedures for combination products and cross-border clinical validation; - support European Regulatory Science Hubs, embedded in clusters like Maastricht, with real-world testing capacity; - Create a fast-track scheme for innovative technologies in public health domains. 3. BUILD TALENT PIPELINES AND LEARNING ECOSYSTEMS Brightlands campuses are working with vocational schools, applied universities and research institutions to train the next generation. The LSS should support: - dual learning programmes and microcredentials co-developed with industry; - EU mobility schemes focused on biotech manufacturing, clinical trial management, and digital health; - recognised frameworks for lifelong learning in health innovation. 4. INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECOSYSTEM THINKING: GO BEYOND SILO FUNDING The LSS should promote the convergence of biotech, healthtech, and data science by: - supporting cross-sectoral hubs that include pharma, medical devices, diagnostics, and AI in health; - funding regional testbeds for digital twins, personalised medicine, and biomanufacturing; - ensuring sustained investment in public-private infrastructures that lower the risk for SMEs and scale-ups. 5. GOVERNANCE, CO-DESIGN AND MONITORING The Strategys legitimacy will depend on bottom-up ownership. We recommend: - involving regional clusters and university hospitals in co-design and implementation; - setting clear KPIs on uptake, investment leverage, regulatory speed, and EU/global competitiveness; - enabling long-term, mission-driven investments anchored in Europes diverse innovation regions. CONCLUSION The life sciences are key to Europes health, security, and prosperity. The Brightlands ecosystem, through its combined industrial, clinical, and academic strength, offers a powerful implementation platform. We call for a strategy that empowers regional action, accelerates scale-up, and embraces integrated health innovationfrom molecule to patient.
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