20/04/2021 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission announced on Tuesday 20 April its decision to extend, until 31 December 2021, the temporary exemption from customs duties and value added tax (VAT) on medical devices and protective equipment imported from non-Member States and deemed essential in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Taken in April 2020 at the height of the pandemic (see EUROPE 12461/11), the measure has been extended three times and was due to expire this month. “The prolongation takes into consideration the challenges that Member States still face in combatting the Covid-19 pandemic, and the fact that imports of these goods remain significant”, explains the Commission in a statement. The Commission has also published an indicative list of goods covered by the Decision, which can be found at the following link: https://bit.ly/2Q9zzMF (MF)