The Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices of Republika Srpska which will enter into force tomorrow, 28^th of June 2022 violates the BiH Constitution, the BiH Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices and BiH would backslide in its alignment with the EU acquis on consumer and health protection, as well as contravene BiH’s obligations as part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. This has been made clear repeatedly. The RS authorities could have repealed or suspended the law but they decided not to act and move forward with the application of this law.

The application of the RS Law will have grave implications and will put the health of BiH residents, in both entities and Brcko, at risk. It will seriously undermine public health safeguards that are in place and will jeopardize the work of pharmaceutical and medical device wholesalers in RS thus affecting upon the retail sale of pharmaceuticals and medical devices ultimately undermining BiH single economic space.

The detailed account of the implications of the application of the RS Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices can be found in the joint OHR – EUD memorandum.