The Ministry of Health has presented a roadmap for preparing the healthcare system for the negotiation process with the EU
While preparing for negotiations with the EU, the Ministry of Health is actively cooperating with various government agencies and the public sector. On August 21, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine presented a roadmap of the Ministry’s actions regarding the negotiation process with the EU at a meeting of the Subcommittee on European Integration of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health.
The meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee, Mykhailo Radutskyi, who emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s rapid integration into the European community and the need to adapt Ukrainian legislation accordingly.
Maryna Slobodnichenko, Deputy Minister of Health for European Integration, presented the Ministry of Health’s roadmap for preparing for negotiations with the European Union.
The main task of the Ministry now is to prepare for the screening meeting expected in February 2025 in Brussels, as well as to form a strong negotiation team to present Ukraine’s European integration achievements. To do this, the following steps need to be taken:
- to form an expert environment that will bring together the public, business, and government representatives to establish a joint dialogue;
- to hold a discussion involving all representatives of the government, business, and the public involved in the process to form a single negotiating position — ONE VOICE;
- to determine the realistic timeframe for transition periods if they are objectively necessary;
- to determine the amount of funding for the EU acts implementation and enforcement where necessary.
“We are at an important stage in Ukraine’s history - joining the EU. Consolidation of our efforts and movement with a single voice (ONE VOICE) towards the European family is a sign of the unity of the state. We have already completed a significant part of the preparatory work for joining the EU. The percentage of implementation of the Association Agreement has been increased by 13% (from 66% to 79%). Self-screening of more than 1500 acts of the European Union in the field of healthcare was conducted. Healthcare issues are present in 24 out of 37 negotiating groups. This shows the great cross-sectoral work we have already started. Close cooperation with EU institutions has been established: DG NEAR, HERA, DG SANTE, HaDEA, EMA. We have friendly relations with the countries of the European Union, and we have already signed 8 memorandums of cooperation with the Ministries of Health of the EU countries. Now it is important to ensure the sustainability of the process of legislative approximation, unity of work at all levels, transparency of discussions and unequivocal confident movement forward with a deep conviction that European integration is our future.”
In the last year alone, the Ministry of Health has launched the European integration reform of the pharmaceutical sector. Agreements have been signed with pharmaceutical agencies in Poland and Sweden to support Ukraine’s pharmaceutical reform. Bilateral cooperation on European integration was established with France, Poland, Germany, Romania, Sweden, Denmark, and Moldova. Thanks to the support of the Ukrainian deputy corps, in particular, the members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health, cooperation with the SANT subcommittee in the European Parliament has been established. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and representatives of Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers have been included in the Critical Medicine Alliance, which allows them to join critical procurement programs.
The Ministry of Health has also signed an agreement with DG SANTE to join the European Reference Network, an IT system specializing in rare diseases. The European Commission has approved three TAIEX projects (medical devices, cosmetics, biocides) for the Ministry of Health and has already launched two Twinning projects (to establish a state control body in the pharmaceutical industry and on cross-border threats).
In addition, the Ministry of Health and the State Administration on Medicines are included in the working groups of the European Medicines Agency (on GMP, Good Clinical Practice (GCP, GMDP and PhV IWGs (on pharmacovigilance)).