Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to main navigation

EMA: Q&A on the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol

EMA published Revision 3 of the Q&A on the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland on 5 March 2021. The 11-page document contains 28 pairs of questions and answers. It is updated regularly and will be of interest to all GMP professionals who have business relationships with companies in Northern Ireland.

Of particular note in the Q&A document are Q&A 14 "GMP and manufacturing" and Q&A 15 "Parallel distribution":  

  • Manufacturing and import authorizations as well as GMP certificates and GMP non-compliance reports issued for manufacturers in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period will be made available by the UK authorities in the EudraGMDP database and will be recognized in the EU or EEA.  
  • GMP certificates issued to manufacturers in the rest of the UK and third countries after the end of the transition period will be treated as third country GMP compliance information and will no longer be held in the EudraGDMP database.  
  • GMP inspections are recognized under the EU-UK agreement between the two parties.  
  • There is the possibility of recognition of inspections carried out by UK authorities in third countries. More information on this will follow at a later date.  
  • Notices will remain in place after 31 December 2020 for parallel distributors who have a site in Northern Ireland or who repackage there. However, notices for parallel distributors located at and/or repackaging at other sites in the U.K. will no longer be valid after 31 December 2020. Here, the EMA Guidance on parallel distribution can help.

Source:

EMA: Questions and answers to Stakeholders on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

Meet the GMP Compliance Adviser

The GMP Compliance Adviser is the world's largest knowledge portal for quality management in the pharma business. 

The demo access is non-binding and ends automatically.

Test it now for free

You may also be interested in the following articles:

ANVISA: Expands Recognition of Foreign GMP Authorities

ANVISA: Expands Recognition of Foreign GMP Authorities

Brazilian health authority ANVISA has updated the requirements for the recognition of Equivalent Foreign Regulatory Authorities (AREE) and the administrative procedures for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification (CBPF) through Normative Instruction IN 451/2026. The aim is to streamline and accelerate regulatory processes.
Read more
EDQM: Guidance on Reporting on Disappearances of Medicinal Products

EDQM: Guidance on Reporting on Disappearances of Medicinal Products

The EDQM has published guidance supporting the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)3 on reporting medicinal products that disappear from the legal supply chain due to theft, loss or diversion. The initiative follows a European survey that identified shortcomings in reporting and co-ordination of such incidents.

Read more
Damage Control: Complaints and Recalls

Damage Control: Complaints and Recalls

Complaint handling and product recalls are important components of the Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS). They serve to identify defective medicinal products and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect patient safety, as required by law and the competent supervisory authority.

Read more
What are the Phases of a Working Cycle During a Steam Sterilisation Process?

What are the Phases of a Working Cycle During a Steam Sterilisation Process?

Here's the answer:
Read more
EMA: 9 New Nitrosamines for Appendix 1

EMA: 9 New Nitrosamines for Appendix 1

Appendix 1 of EMA’s Questions and Answers on nitrosamine impurities has been updated. This appendix contains acceptable intakes (AIs) established for N-nitrosamines.
Read more
EMA: Reduced Testing of Incoming Starting Materials is a GMP Matter

EMA: Reduced Testing of Incoming Starting Materials is a GMP Matter

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) published an update to its “Quality of Medicines: Questions and Answers – Part 2”. The revision concerns the section on “Reduced testing of incoming starting materials”.
Read more
Previous
Next