The European Commission has finally given in: it is preparing to present a proposal to “postpone by one year” the entry into force of the regulation on medical devices (Regulation 2017/745). This regulation was supposed to come into force on 26 May 2020. “We are working tirelessly to submit this proposal in early April and call on the Parliament and EU Council to adopt it as soon as possible”, commented European Commission Health Spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker. The aim, he stressed, is to relieve pressure on national authorities and industry and to allow them to focus fully on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It should be noted that several Member States, following in the footsteps of Germany and Ireland, have been pressing the European Commission for almost a year to extend the deadline for implementing the Regulation. Their request, at the time, had nothing to do with COVID-19 (see EUROPE 12290/5). (SPj)