Ukrainians will be able to receive medicines in the EU by cross-border e-prescription via the European Digital Wallet
While millions of Ukrainians are forced to build their lives in new countries, the issue of access to medical services takes on special importance. No less important is the possibility of obtaining the necessary medicines, especially when it comes to patients with chronic diseases, children or the elderly. In this context, a new page opens – Ukraine’s participation in the pilot European project of cross-border exchange of medical data. Thanks to it, citizens of Ukraine will be able to receive medicines in some countries of the European Union by electronic prescription. This breakthrough not only integrates Ukraine into Europe’s digital infrastructure, but also lays the foundations for a real improvement in the quality of life of people abroad.
A new level of medical integration
Ukraine joined the international consortium POTENTIAL (PilOTs for European Digital Identity Wallet), which unites 19 European countries and more than 160 public and private organizations. This large-scale project aims to develop and implement the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet), a tool that will allow storing and transferring digital identification data, including medical information.
In practice, this means that a Ukrainian, staying, for example, in Poland or Germany, will be able to get the necessary medicines by electronic prescription, without going to a local doctor and without going through repeated diagnostics. His data – electronic identification, prescription, medical information – will be transmitted safely and correctly through a single digital system. This approach significantly reduces the risks associated with the lack of access to vital drugs during movements, and forms a real bridge between the medical systems of Europe and Ukraine.
What is EUDI Wallet and how it works
The European Digital Wallet (EUDI Wallet) is a new-generation mobile application that allows citizens to store digital identification, use an electronic signature, present a driver’s license, open bank accounts and receive medical services. It is important that all these functions work not only within the user’s country, but also abroad – within the entire European digital infrastructure.
One of the six key areas of use of the wallet was the exchange of medical data for obtaining medicines by electronic prescription (so-called Use Case 6). This direction is currently being actively tested with the participation of the Ukrainian side.
Ukraine as an equal partner in digital Europe
Ukraine’s participation in this pilot project was made possible thanks to the activities of the state enterprise “Electronic Health”, which represents Ukraine in the consortium together with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Diya application team. According to Yulia Zaderyak, the head of the Department for Development and External Communications of the SE, medical records and electronic prescription data exchange mechanisms between countries are currently being actively tested.
“Currently, in close cooperation with Diya specialists, we are testing functional medical accounts, data for electronic prescription exchange. This project is the first step towards interaction between other electronic health care systems of European participating countries. This will greatly simplify the life of citizens in the EU and Ukraine, in particular during travel or traveling abroad.” Yuliya Zaderyak emphasized
Of particular importance is the fact that Ukraine is the only country participating in the EUDI Wallet development that is not a member of the European Union. During the recent meeting of the Council of Beneficiaries of the Consortium held in Prague, the Ukrainian delegation presented the work done on the basis of “Diya” – the national digital wallet, which has become one of the flagship examples of digital transformation in the conditions of war.
The innovation becomes especially relevant for Ukrainians who ended up in various European countries because of the war. In particular, Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Finland, Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine became participants in the pilot project. In each of these countries, it will be possible to use a cross-border e-prescription, provided that the corresponding EUDI-compatible digital systems are in place.
This will avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and will also make life easier for those who have to cross borders frequently. For example, a family that left Ukraine for Poland, and then temporarily moved to Germany, will not lose access to the necessary medicines – a prescription issued by a Ukrainian doctor will be valid in another country. For people with chronic illnesses, cancer patients, diabetes or mental illness, this is not just a matter of convenience, but a matter of safety and life.
According to the organizers and partners of the project, the key feature of the Ukrainian contribution to the development of a digital wallet was people-centricity – focusing not on technical perfection, but on the practical needs of real users. That is why Ukrainian decisions were highly appreciated by the European community. This approach makes it possible to more effectively integrate Ukrainian citizens into the digital ecosystem of the EU and ensure equal opportunities in obtaining medical services.
The pilot project on the exchange of medical data is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to increase internal resilience. Its implementation takes place in conditions of constant threats and crisis, when the state is forced not only to preserve the functionality of its systems, but also to adapt them to new challenges. Participation in European initiatives such as the EUDI Wallet opens the way to a future where digital services are not limited by national borders, but support citizens regardless of where they are.
There are still many steps ahead: from finalizing technical compatibility to legal aspects and user training. But it is already obvious today: Ukraine’s participation in this project is not purely symbolic. It has a direct practical result for thousands of Ukrainian families abroad who need stable and safe access to treatment.
