The upward revision of the clawback tax as a result of the requests of the European Commission represents a real tragedy for Romanian patients and a major risk for the future of the pharmaceutical industry in Romania, said on Tuesday the Industrial Manufacturers of Medicines in Romania Employers association, PRIMER.
"PRIMER appeals to the prime minister Nicolae Ciuca and the minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, to approach the request of the European Commission with maximum prudence and professionalism, in the specific context of the problems faced by the patients and the industry in Romania. Making a decision of an upward revision of the clawback tax on the country's medicines factories, which produce generic medicines at affordable prices, means the serious compromise of patients' access to medicines and a negative effect on an economic sector that needs support and not burdensome tax measures. (...) In accordance with the Treaty on the functioning of the European Commission, PRIMER requests the cancellation of the 15 pct clawback tax established by the Romanian Parliament in 2020," the employers' association said in a press release.
According to PRIMER, this request, if it is not approached with professionalism by the Government, will generate much greater discontinuities than at present in the supply of domestically produced medicines to patients, putting into question the continuation of the activity of the majority of medicines manufacturers in the country, told Agerpres.
The clawback tax, a revenue tax in the medicine industry, has been paid by manufacturers since 2011.
"In Romania, manufacturers pay the clawback tax of 15 pct, which is disproportionately high, the tax being at the highest level in the EU. The clawback tax is the reason why the Romanian pharmaceutical industry has not made significant progress in the last 10 years, Romania becoming dependent on imports in the proportion of 80 pct, and the effects were seen, including in the supply problems with specific seasonal medicines," PRIMER added.