To promote Ayush product exports and for the recognition of Ayush as a system of medicine in Europe, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) has organised a seminar for the Ayush manufacturers with an aim to create awareness on regulatory guidelines in Europe on August 10, 2016 at Coimbatore.

Seeing the 2nd European World Ayurveda Congress, which will be organised by European Ayurveda Association on October 15-16, 2016 at Koblenz, Germany, as a platform to promote the Ayush medicines in the Europe, the joint secretary of department of commerce has come up with an idea to organise a seminar to create awareness among the Ayush manufacturers about the European regulation.

The seminar has addressed the issues related to the regulatory affairs in Europe and discussed about the strategies and roadmap to promote export of Ayush products in European markets. Senior officials from Ministry of Ayush, Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI) and Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association (ADMA), addressed various topics related to Ayush sector such as opportunities, challenges, role of Ayush in preventive healthcare, Ayush clinical trails, Ayush and Indian Pharmacopoeia, and Ayush exports.

Dr. med. Harsha Gramminger, president, European Ayurveda Association spoke about Germany's Prevention Act and The EU Food Supplements Directives: Opportunities for developing a prevention and health promotion narrative. Dr Madan Thangavelu, representative of European Ayurveda Association, Germany spoke about strategies and roadmap to promote Ayurveda System of Medicine in Europe.

The objective of the seminar was to create awareness on regulatory guidelines in Europe and international markets with emphasis on strategies and developing a roadmap to promote Ayush products in Europe. It also aimed at promoting Ayurveda as a System of Medicine in European Union and to explore possibilities of strategic alliance with EU Food and Drug Authorities for pushing Ayurveda and herbal product registrations, said P V Appaji, director general of Pharmexcil.

Indian exports of herbal product is approximately US$ 250 million, out of which 30 per cent of medicinal herbs are being exported to Europe around US$ 74 million. The export of Ayush products to top 25 countries contributes nearly to 82 per cent with top five importers UAE (US$ 17 million), Nepal (US$ 11 million), Russia (US$ 9.23 million), USA (US$ 7 million) and Ghana (US$ 3.53 million).

From European Union, The Netherlands is the largest importing partner for India in Ayush products with US$ 2.27 million followed by Spain (US$ 2.08 million), Romania (US$ 1.88 million), France (US$ 1.77 million), Latvia (US$ 1.65 million), UK (US$ 1.23 million),Germany (US$ 1.00 million) and Italy (US$ 1.00 million) among the top 25 importing partners for India.