- Trade rules and agreements can be crucial in determining access to medical technologies. When a trade restriction is not applied correctly or when barriers are put in place in a way which makes it difficult for patients to access technologies, this can have an important impact on the sector. 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 (e.g., the EU-US Trade and Technology Council) as well as engaging at the multilateral level on World Trade Organisation (WTO) activities on technical barriers to trade.
- MedTech Europe is also involved in discussions at the level of the World Customs Organization (WCO) to ensure a clear and consistent application of customs rules to medical technologies. The goal is to facilitate trade, explore questions related to tariffs, sanctions, and embargoes, and discuss and revise the classification of devices under the Harmonised System (HS) of tariff.
Trade & Customs
As a global industry, trade negotiations and customs rules play an important role in bringing medical technologies to customers and patients around the world. MedTech Europe is actively engaged in trade and customs issues at European and international level.