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March 6, 2020

Coronavirus: Restrictions on the export of medical protective clothing

The coronavirus has triggered an epidemiological crisis situation worldwide. The need for medical protective equipment is correspondingly high almost everywhere. Germany itself does not have sufficient production capacity to meet the demand. In addition, previous imports are breaking down because there is a shortage of workers in the producing countries or export bans on protective clothing are in force. Now the Federal Government has also taken measures to prevent bottlenecks.

Against this background, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy has banned the export of various types of protective clothing to third countries and their transfer to EU countries. These include: Protective goggles/sights, face shields, mouth and nose protection products (surgical masks), Filtering Face Pieces Class 2 (FFP2) masks, Filtering Face Pieces Class 3 (FFP3) masks, protective gowns, protective suits and corresponding gloves.

Despite the restrictions, there is still the possibility of granting special permits. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy cites several case constellations, including for concerted relief actions or support for calls for help from the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.

This article was written by:

Daniel Mahnken

Corporate Communication

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