TITLE III

PLACING ON THE MARKET
CHAPTER 3

Procedures relevant to the marketing authorization
Article 24
1
Without prejudice to paragraphs 4 and 5, a marketing authorisation shall be valid for five years.
2
The marketing authorisation may be renewed after five years on the basis of a re-evaluation of the risk-benefit balance by the competent authority of the authorising Member State.
To this end, the marketing authorisation holder shall provide the national competent authority with a consolidated version of the file in respect of quality, safety and efficacy, including the evaluation of data contained in suspected adverse reactions reports and periodic safety update reports submitted in accordance with Title IX, and information on all variations introduced since the marketing authorisation was granted, at least 9 months before the marketing authorisation ceases to be valid in accordance with paragraph 1.
3
Once renewed, the marketing authorisation shall be valid for an unlimited period, unless the national competent authority decides, on justified grounds relating to pharmacovigilance, including exposure of an insufficient number of patients to the medicinal product concerned, to proceed with one additional five-year renewal in accordance with paragraph 2.
4
Any authorisation which within three years of its granting is not followed by the actual placing on the market of the authorised product in the authorising Member State shall cease to be valid.
5
When an authorised product previously placed on the market in the authorising Member State is no longer actually present on the market for a period of three consecutive years, the authorisation for that product shall cease to be valid.
6
The competent authority may, in exceptional circumstances and on public health grounds grant exemptions from paragraphs 4 and 5. Such exemptions must be duly justified.
Substituted by Directive 2004/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 amending Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use.
Substituted by Directive 2010/84/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 amending, as regards pharmacovigilance, Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (Text with EEA relevance).