#MedicalDevicesRegulation - Commission welcomes Council support to prioritize the fight against #Coronavirus

The European Commission welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of the proposal to postpone by one year the date of application of the Medical Devices Regulation.

This will allow all key players - member states, health institutions and economic operators to give priority to the fight against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, forming a key position in the timing of the lifting of confinement measures as Member States return to the road of recovery.

Promoting our European Way of Life Vice President Margaritis Schinas, said: “I welcome the adoption in record time by the European Parliament and the Council of the proposal to postpone by one year the date of application of the Medical Devices Regulation. We are determined to have our medical industries pouring all their energy into what we need them to be doing: helping fight the pandemic. The European Union will do whatever it takes to support our health systems in their hour of need.”

Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said: “Yesterday's adoption will allow us all, in this time of crisis, to maintain our focus on the most critical issues and to ensure the continued availability of vitally important medical devices. This is clear proof of our ongoing determination to tackle the pandemic through all possible means, while always maintaining the safety of patients as our utmost objective. I thank the Parliament and Council for the record time approval, co-operation and efficient handling of this urgent proposal.”

The adopted amendment takes into consideration the need for an increased availability of vitally important medical devices across the EU, and at the same time continues to guarantee patient health and safety until the new legislation becomes applicable. The Commission adopted the proposal on 3 April, and this was followed by the support of the European Parliament on 17 April. As a final step, yesterday the Council voted to adopt the proposal and it will enter into force upon publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

A press release is available online. Further information is available on the Commission's dedicated coronavirus response webpage. 

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