Trade policy and agreements can be instrumental in enabling access to medical technologies. MedTech Europe engages in trade negotiations to ensure access to medical technologies around the globe. This includes working on bilateral EU trade agreements and initiatives as well as engaging at the multilateral level on World Trade Organisation (WTO) and addressing barriers to trade.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) plays a critical role in customs matters and governing the Harmonised System (HS), the international commodity classification system developed by the WCO.
MedTech Europe has also established several country-specific focus groups that deal with market access, barriers to trade, regulatory convergence, ethics and compliance considerations. These groups address local laws, standards, and requirements that affect the industry in a specific country, such as restrictions on medical devices imports, discriminatory procurement rules, and price controls.
