An extension to the relief from customs duties and VAT on the import of protective equipment and medical equipment from non-EU countries has been announced. Also included is a new proposal that hospitals and medical practitioners should not have to pay VAT on vaccines and testing kits for COVID-19.

These measures are designed to give Member States better and cheaper access to the tools they need to prevent, detect and treat COVID-19. The Commission is encouraging all customs authorities to underline the importance of thorough quality controls on these goods, in particular on protective masks.