Limitations on Parallel Import of Medicinal Products: Comments in the Context of the Judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-602/19 Kohlpharma

Abstract

The judgement in case C-602/19 Kohlpharma is another decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which sets legal framework for marketing medicinal products from parallel import. By doing so, the Court continues the adjudicative tradition whereby key aspects of the issue of parallel imports of medicinal products are regulated at the level of EU law through rulings that interpret Articles 34 and 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), issued in specific cases referred to the Court by the referring courts of the Member States. In the commented judgement, the Court upheld the interpretation of Articles 34 and 36 TFEU, according to which these provisions exclude the application of national regulations of a Member State, according to which the withdrawal of a reference authorisation in the importing country automatically results in the expiration of the parallel import licence. The Court also defined more precise limits to the exception contained in Article 36 TFEU concerning the protection of human health and life. This is so because it ruled that the objective of pharmacovigilance may be achieved through actions consisting in the cooperation of the competent authorities of the Member States. The commented judgement is of key importance for the assessment of compliance of Article 21a (3a) of the Polish Act – Pharmaceutical Law with the EU law. In the light of the position of the Court, this provision of the Polish law should be assessed as an excessive restriction on the freedom of movement of goods.