Council’s position on the proposed Product Liability Directive may impact European medical technology innovation and competitiveness

MedTech Europe voices concern over the hasty position agreed on by representatives of Member States (COREPER) without further considering industry experts’ concerns on the new Product Liability Directive (PLD).

While the well-intended nature of the revision was meant to bring about targeted changes to make consumer access to compensation easier, the new proposal has introduced fundamental changes that risk upheaving almost 40 years of functioning civil liability law. The unintended result could be decades of costly litigation and significant increases in insurance premiums that will put economic pressure on medical technology companies in the EU, impacting specifically the many Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are at the heart of this industry and have unwanted negative implications for patients and consumers in the EU.

Read more in our statement below.