OBJECTIVE： To provide reference for in-depth reform of new drug assessment and approval system in China. METHODS： The legal basis of drug accelerated assessment policies in European Union （EU） were analyzed systematically， and then compared with other similar policies. The key steps of accelerated assessment procedure were introduced， in particular， pre-submission preparation， pre-licensing inspection， submission and evaluation of accelerated assessment application. Taking Maviret as an example， the effects of EU’s accelerated assessment policies were analyzed empirically. RESULTS： Accelerated assessment is one of the EU’s several legal provisions to foster patients’ early access to new drugs， as well as accelerated assessment and conditional market licensing， sympathetic drug use， priority drug program， orphan drug identification and hospital exemption， which were the main ways to obtain new drugs as soon as possible in the EU. The accelerated assessment was expected when the drugs had sufficient treatment data， significant public health benefits and innovation. Based on EU’s regulations （No. 726/2004/EC）， European Medicines Agency （EMA） had continuously improved the policy system of accelerated assessment， issued relevant guiding principle （guidelines） and timetables for the implementation of accelerated assessment procedures， providing detailed and specific guidance for the practical landing of the policy. Once the drug entered the accelerated assessment procedure， the assessment time would be shortened from 210 days of the standard procedure to 150 days. The assessment of Maviret， a new drug for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection， was accelerated from Jan. 20， 2017 until Jun. 22， 2017. When it was approved by the EMA Committee for Human Medicinal Products （CHMP）， the whole process was less than half a year. CONCLUSIONS： EU drug acceleration assessment has not only perfect legislative support， but also detailed and specific implementation rules and timetable. It can speed up the marketing of drugs which are required urgently by the public and have speeific medical advantages.