VMRFG

Public documents
The Veterinary Mutual Recognition Facilitation Group (VMRFG) issues the following public documents:

SOP: Standard Operating Procedures approved by the VMRF Group

RFR: Reports for Release approved by the VMRF Group

Contact points: List of the contact points for Mutual Recognition Procedures in Member States, European Commission and EMEA

The role of VMRFG
The Veterinary Mutual Recognition Facilitation Group (VMRFG) was established by the Member states and held its first meeting in April 1997.

The Member states recognised that there needed to be a group that could co-ordinate and facilitate the operation of the decentralised mutual recognition procedure. The Group meets monthly before the CVMP meeting and comprises senior representatives from each Member state. The Group is chaired by the country which holds the Presidency of the European Union. The EMEA kindly ensures the secretariat of the group.

The Group has no formal position in EC legislation, but has established itself as a major player in the new European system.

The Group provides a forum where procedural issues can be discussed and problems resolved.

It is able to undertake an overview of individual applications. Scientific discussions related to individual applications are discussed within the Group and are organised and chaired by the specific reference member states (the RMS).

The Group has elaborated an important Best Practice Guide which is available on the web site. A series of procedural documents have also been agreed.

The VMRFG issues a press release (“Report of the VMRF Group – for release”) after each meeting which is published in this web site one month after each meeting.

A major item of work and discussion has been the development of a tracking database (Eudratrack). This system allows the member states to follow the progress of individual applications and their subsequent variations. In the future it will also generate further statistical information for inclusion in the press releases.

As intended the mutual recognition procedure has become established as the major route for the licensing of medicinal products through the new European single system.

The Group holds regular liaison meetings with the industry trade associations. The Group is unable to handle requests from individual companies about particular applications.

Rather these should be referred to the potential RMS who may then bring matters to the attention of the Group for prior consideration and advice. There is a comparable group in the human sector and a close link has been established between the two groups.