Sat, Nov 21 2009

Bulgaria faces EC infringement procedure on pharmacies' legislation

Thu, Jun 12 2008 19:08 CET 174 Views 1 Comment

The European Commission (EC) has asked Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin to clarify the grounds for the legal requirements that all pharmacy owners in Bulgaira hold pharmacist degrees and the ban on pharmacists to own more than one pharmacy, the head of Bulgaria's pharmacy owners association Nikolai Kostov said, as quoted by Dnevnik daily on June 12.

Kostov said he interpreted the letter from internal market and services commissioner Charlie McCreevy represents the first warning before an infringement procedure from the EU executive.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that all measures banning, obstructing or making less attractive the exercise of civil rights and freedoms should be deemed as limitations contravening the European Community Treaty, Kostov said.

Should Bulgaria fail to change its legislation, the EC will levy a fine. Currently, the EC has opened similar infringement procedures against six EU member states, among which Italy, Spain, Austria and Greece.

The Medicines Act restricting ownership of pharmacies to persons with the relevant academic background took effect on April 13 2007 and gave owners a transition period of one year to re-register. In a vote earlier this year, Parliament extended the deadline to the end of 2008.

Meanwhile, the Commission for the Protection of Competition ruled that the law acted against public interest, restricted competition and recommended that the laws be changed. The Government also filed amendments, which waived the degree restriction.

Despite the objections of the Bulgarian Pharmaceuticals Union, Parliament passed the changes at first reading.

Currently, Bulgaria has about 4 000 pharmacies.

Comments

Anonymous ron usa Mon, Aug 31 2009 20:52 CET
Inappropriate comment?

i would hope pharmacist in bulgaria would need proper training. god forbid you buy from some who is unqualified and is nothing more than a cash register attendant.

Write comment

Name:Comment:

Generate new code
Send your comment

More in this category

EC suing Bulgaria for Sofia waste disposal failure

The European Commission is taking Bulgaria to court for delays in providing Sofia with adequate waste disposal facilities.

US ambassador-designate Warlick addresses senate confirmation hearing

James Warlick is the spouse of Mary Warlick, director of the office of Russian affairs at the US state department, who has been nominated to serve as ambassador to Serbia

Bulgaria declares flu epidemic at an end

Bulgaria’s Health Ministry announced on November 20 2009 that the flu epidemic declared two weeks earlier is at an end as rates of infection decline. The announcement coincides with reports of two deaths from A (H1N1) flu in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian prosecutors to investigate Dogan’s real estate deals

Acting on allegations by Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria leader Ivan Kostov, prosecutors and Government officials are to probe deals by which Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Ahmed Dogan acquired various properties.

Sofia prosecutors charge Bulgaria’s former defence minister Nikolai Tsonev

Prosecutors allege that a deal agreed by the former defence minister caused losses of 12.9 million leva.