The European Medicines Agency proposed a centralized approach to help harmonize and speed clinical trial contracts across Europe. In its clinical trial highlights newsletter, EMA said stakeholders report contract negotiations as a recurring bottleneck that delays study start-up. The regulator cited variability in existing contract templates among member states and noted that current templates often do not cover multi-country, multi-site trials spanning multiple EU jurisdictions. EMA said its proposal would create a platform to discuss common contractual topic issues with the right expertise and representation. Industry groups including EFPIA and EUCROF backed the idea of improved site contracting processes, framing the move as a way to make Europe more attractive for running clinical trials.