Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides welcomed the adoption by the Council of the European Union of proposals to ensure continuous supply of medicine from the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland, as well as to Cyprus, Malta and the Republic of Ireland, noting in particular the swiftness of the decision.
“The continuous supply of medicines is essential for hundreds of thousands of patients in Northern Ireland – as well as Cyprus, Ireland and Malta, whose markets are historically dependent on medicines from the UK” the Commissioner said in a written statement.
“We have now fulfilled our commitment to find a solution to ensure that all citizens can continue to get the medicines they need, at all times” she underlined.
The proposals that have been approved aim to ensure the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and to address outstanding supply concerns in Cyprus, Ireland and Malta – markets that have been historically supplied through or by Great Britain.
Regarding Cyprus, the Republic of Ireland and Malta in particular, the rules endorsed by the European Parliament and the Council provide a temporary derogation so that they can continue to source medicines from the United Kingdom only if needed. The Directive and Regulation apply retroactively from 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2022 respectively.
It is expected that within three years, that is until 31 December 2024, these markets will gradually phase out the temporary derogations and decrease the dependency of their domestic markets on the supply with medicinal products from or through parts of the United Kingdom other than Northern Ireland.
The proposal had been approved the previous week by the Plenary of the European Parliament, and received final approval by the General Affairs Council of the EU on Tuesday.
The Commission notes in its press release that these proposals were put forward by the Commission last December, following extensive engagement with citizens, industry and other business representatives in the EU and the UK, in addition to extensive talks with the UK government to find this long-lasting solution.
In his own statement, Commission vice president Maroš Šefcovic, who represents the EU in negotiations with the UK, underlined that the solution that has been reached for Northern Ireland is a lasting one.
By the end of 2022 the Commission has said that it will make proposals to revise the EU’s pharmaceutical legislation. These proposals will seek to provide longer-term structural solutions, in particular, to the issue of access to medicines, with special attention to enhancing security of supply and addressing risks of shortages in the smaller markets of the Union.
Source: Cyprus News Agency