Foreign Trade Day for the Healthcare Industry 2025: A strong healthcare industry needs open markets without customs barriers
Around 300 representatives from the medical technology, pharmaceutical and laboratory technology sectors as well as politicians met at the Federal Foreign Office / Geopolitical challenges, export barriers and global health responsibility as key topics
More than 300 representatives from medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and laboratory technology, as well as from politics and diplomacy, gathered today at the Federal Foreign Office for the Health Industry Foreign Trade Day 2025. In times of growing geopolitical tensions and increasing protectionist tendencies, participants discussed how the industrial healthcare sector can assert and expand its role as the backbone of global healthcare. The event was hosted by the Federal Foreign Office, SPECTARIS, and the GHA – German Health Alliance, together with Pharma Deutschland, vfa, ZVEI, and Germany Trade & Invest with the Health Export Initiative.
The devastating effects of the new US punitive tariffs on the industrial healthcare sector were discussed intensively. The associations are calling for a diplomatic solution to protect international supply chains and technological progress. SPECTARIS Managing Director Jörg Mayer summarized a key message of the day: "An internationally competitive healthcare industry needs active political support, which particularly helps export-oriented SMEs. The goal must be to quickly conclude more free trade agreements in order to secure market access, dismantle protectionist localization requirements, and reduce regulatory hurdles. The harmonization of technical standards, the protection of intellectual property, and fair public procurement systems play a key role in this." The efficiency of export control procedures was also discussed intensively. The industry is calling for noticeable improvements in BAFA processing times to ensure planning security.
The industry participants reaffirmed their willingness to assume responsibility for the global healthcare industry: "The German industrial healthcare industry can actively contribute to closing global healthcare gaps and sustainably strengthening healthcare systems. To do so, however, it requires effective framework conditions and targeted support from the German government. The implementation of multisectoral health partnerships is particularly promising. These combine the strengths of politics, industry, NGOs, science, and research, thus making a decisive contribution to improving healthcare in developing and emerging countries as well as to market diversification," emphasizes Roland Göhde, Chairman of the German Health Alliance.
For policymakers, the topic of diversification through strategic partnerships was identified as an important building block of a future-oriented foreign trade policy. Formats such as the BMWK's Round Table on the Healthcare Industry were highlighted as positive examples of the necessary structured exchange between policymakers and industry.
The Foreign Trade Day clearly demonstrated that the healthcare industry is ready to assume responsibility and make its contribution to global healthcare – but to do so, it needs a coordinated, reliable foreign trade policy that is actively shaped.
The Foreign Trade Day for the Health Sector 2025 took place for the tenth time at the Federal Foreign Office.
The GHA – German Health Alliance is an initiative of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and is aimed at internationally active companies and organizations in the health sector. It consists of more than 100 leading German players from industry, NGOs, science & research, and government development organizations, and maintains a global business and political network. It supports its members in accessing international markets and represents their political interests vis-à-vis governments and international organizations in the areas of internationalization, global health, and development cooperation. To this end, members have access to a variety of exclusive exchange formats and working groups covering all regions of the world. Members receive access to comprehensive market information for their projects and become part of a network of experts with whom they can exchange ideas in a confidential setting. The GHA's work also focuses on expertise in systemic strategies for strengthening health infrastructure in target countries and improving access to high-quality healthcare services. Innovations and partnerships are key drivers of the activities of the GHA and its members.