Sino-German trade barriers "must be dismantled" to benefit of medtech
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
German medtech industry association Spectaris has demanded that trade barriers with China be broken down. "German interest in the Chinese medtech market is enormous," said the association's deputy chairman, Michael Koller. But for smooth bilateral relations to be maintained, outstanding environmental law issues and product approval sticking-points must be addressed, he told the Deutsch-Chinesische Dialogforum on industrial and technological co-operation, in Berlin. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was present at the meeting to hear Mr Koller ask for China to exclude medtech products from its national law on banning certain dangerous substances, and thereby adopt the European-style approach on this issue. He also asked for China to become more involved in the GHTF process, noting the potential benefits of mutual recognition of trials. Germany exports medtech products valued at €500m ($648m) to China and imports some €340m-worth.