KYIV. Feb 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Importers are not ready for new complicated medicine imports licensing requirements that could take effect on March 1, 2016, the European Business Association (EBA) has said.
“Few days are left until the date when they are obligatory for implementation. The absence of a possibility of meeting the Ukrainian requirements by international pharmaceutical companies means the absence of a possibility of importing medicines to our country,” the EBA said in a press release.
The association said that unfortunately, it is unknown what the state of the draft cabinet resolution that postpones the critical provisions for March 1, 2018 is.
“If the state is not ready to postpone [the introduction of new rules] supply of medicines from abroad could stop in five days,” the association said.
“The blind transfer of the whole complex of European practices in part of medicine imports licensing to Ukraine resulted in the postponement of all crucial provisions from March 1, 2013 to March 1, 2016 not to block imports of medicines to Ukraine. Since then the situation has not changed: today importers are not able to observe the requirements of Ukrainian law due to unbiased reasons,” the association said.
“The postponement of the provisions for March 1, 2018 is the forced tactic step. However, it is badly needed to avoid collapse in imports,” the EBA said.
The State Service for Medicinal Products of Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine that imports of medicines from March 1, 2016 would not stop.
“Importers have valid licenses, and it is incorrect to say that imports of medicines will stop,” the service said.
At present, the new license conditions are being agreed by central executive power agencies.
