In order to obtain recognition in France of a marketing authorisation issued by another State, known as the reference State, which is a member of the European Community or a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, the holder of this authorisation must submit a marketing authorisation application to the Director General of the Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé.
From receipt of the assessment report for the medicinal product, together with the summary of product characteristics, labelling and package leaflet, sent by the reference State, the Director General of the Agency has ninety days in which to reach a decision:
1° If the Director General of the Agency approves these documents, he shall inform the reference State. In the event of agreement between all the States concerned, notified by the reference State, it will issue a marketing authorisation in accordance with the assessment report thus approved within thirty days of receipt of this notification.
2° If the Director General of the Agency does not approve these documents because he considers that the medicinal product concerned presents a potential serious risk to public health within the meaning of the guidelines referred to in Article 29.2 of Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, he shall immediately inform the reference State, the other States concerned, the applicant and the coordination group referred to in Article 27 of the aforementioned Directive of his reasoned opposition.