Brussels, 27/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 26 May, the European Commission called on Slovakia and Portugal to remove their notification requirements related to the export of medicinal products for human use to other member states which it deems unjustified and disproportionate.
The Commission says that the rules in place in these two countries create obstacles to the free movement of goods within the EU single market (Articles 34-36 of TFEU). While member states can restrict exports of medicines to other countries when this is necessary for the protection of public health, the Commission is of the view that the measures taken by Slovakia and Portugal “not set out clear and transparent criteria for determining the medicinal products that may be at risk of a potential shortage due to parallel trade”. Furthermore, the procedures “impose disproportionate reporting obligations on wholesalers, and in Slovakia, the duration of the notification is disproportionately long” (30 days), it says in a press release.
If Portugal and Slovakia fail to react in two months, the Commission may decide to refer them to the Court of Justice of the EU. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)