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Peter Bogaert

Peter Bogaert has a broad European life sciences practice. He has detailed regulatory expertise under EU and national laws, handles legislative and other policy assignments and provides strategic advice. He also represents life sciences companies before the EU Courts in Luxembourg and in local litigation in Belgium. Peter's practice covers pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, special foods and feed, cosmetics and other consumer products and he represents numerous innovative life sciences companies, including start-ups, as well as several industry associations.

Chambers Global notes that a client said: “He is an extremely experienced professional with broad expertise and provides sensible and well-balanced solutions." He is consistently ranked by PLC as one of the leading life sciences lawyers globally and Legal 500 EMEA and Chambers Europe note Peter's prominent regulatory pharmaceutical and environmental practice. Legal 500 EME noted that he is "a superb lawyer who is very pleasant to work with." Peter regularly writes and speaks on life sciences issues. He is a founding member of the Brussels Pharma Law Group and also served for fifteen years as Managing Partner of the firm’s Brussels office.

On 26 April 2023, the European Commission published its long awaited proposal to revise the EU pharmaceutical legislation.  The proposal includes a new draft Regulation, which will repeal Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, the Orphan Medicines Regulation 141/2000 and the Paediatric Regulation 1901/2006.

As expected, the draft Regulation significantly shakes

Continue Reading EU Pharma Legislation Review Series: Orphan Medicines

This is the first in a series of Covington blogs about the EU’s proposals to amend the current pharmaceutical regulatory framework, which were released today (see here).  It introduces some of the key aims and themes and invites readers to read more in-depth summaries as we release them. 

Continue Reading EU Pharma Legislation Review Series: The EU’s proposals to amend its pharmaceutical laws released today

Tune into the first episode of Covington’s Talking Life Sciences Audiocast, where Grant Castle, Peter Bogaert and Marie Doyle-Rossi discuss key developments and trends in the pharma sector. Our speakers review the major issues of 2022, including the Clinical Trials Regulation, the Health Technology Assessment Regulation, European Health

Continue Reading EU Talking Life Sciences Audiocast: Episode 1 – Key Developments in the Pharma Sector: A Review of 2022 and Insights for 2023

On 1 July 2021, the new French rules on early access to unauthorized medicinal products and off-label use of authorized medicinal products entered into force.  The rules were introduced by the Social Security Financing Law for 2021 (LOI n° 2020-1576 du 14 décembre 2020 de financement de la sécurité sociale pour 2021 or “LFSS 2021”, available here).  The reform seeks to simplify existing rules, make early access and off-label use more predictable for all users, and ensure the sustainability of these programs for the public health insurance system.  In this blog, we present an overview of the new rules.
Continue Reading New Early Access and Off-Label Use Rules in France

The EU pharmaceutical industry landscape is in significant flux. There are many pressures to provide new therapies and to make them available more early and for as many qualifying patients as possible. In that context, the industry model and the role of exclusivity rights as a tool to stimulate innovation are being discussed. At the same time, discovering and developing new products is more complex and requires a collaborative effort. This happens against the background of new rules on medical devices and the protection of personal data, which are, for instance, relevant in assessing clinical effectiveness and relying on real world evidence.

Three members of the Covington European Life Sciences team will be speaking on these topics at the EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum being held in Brussels on 16-18th May.
Continue Reading Exploring the EU Horizon for Pharma

A new food labeling regulation, which revamps the entire EU regulatory framework on food information, including labeling, starts to apply from this Saturday, 13 December 2014. Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (FIC Regulation) consolidates a number of EU food laws and establishes some new principles to provide better consumer protection in relation to food information whilst ensuring smooth functioning of the EU market.

The FIC Regulation governs all food information provided to the consumer through any commercial communication, including in particular labeling and websites. The Regulation affects all food business operators along the whole supply chain as it changes the existing provisions and introduces new ones:
Continue Reading Comprehensive New EU Food Labeling Regulation Goes Into Effect December 13

Article originally published in the FDLI Update (January/February 2013)

“Being able to use innovative products at the earliest possible time – and in Europe we deliver innovation about three years before our American counterparts with their own system – is a benefit to patients that we cannot put aside.” This
Continue Reading Innovation vs. Safety: The New Proposed Rules for Medical Devices in the European Union

Originally published as Covington E-Alert on December 10, 2012

On 6 December 2012, the EU Court of Justice dismissed AstraZeneca’s appeal of the General Court’s judgment in AstraZeneca v Commission. The Court of Justice affirmed the reasoning and holdings of the General Court and rejected all of AstraZeneca’s arguments, including
Continue Reading Judgment of the Court of Justice in AstraZeneca v Commission

Article originally published in Covington E-Alert, 10 December 2012

On 6 December 2012, the EU Court of Justice dismissed AstraZeneca’s appeal of the General Court’s judgment in AstraZeneca v Commission. The Court of Justice affirmed the reasoning and holdings of the General Court and rejected all of AstraZeneca’s arguments, including

Continue Reading Judgment of the Court of Justice in AstraZeneca v. Commission

Originally published as Covington E-Alert on October 3, 2012

French Law No 2011-2012 of 29 December 2011 on the Strengthening of Health Protection for Medicinal and Health Products has been inserted into the Public Health Code (‘Code de la santé publique’ or CSP). It includes new advertising rules
Continue Reading France – Prior Approval for Advertising for Medical Devices and IVDs