Patent holders of retirement age won’t have to buy a mandatory health insurance policy, under a draft law approved by the Economy and Finance Committee.

The bill’s sponsors, MPs Dan Perciun and Radu Marian of PAS, propose that it takes effect upon publishing in the Official Gazette.

The patent system, which has allowed small vendors to operate out of kiosks, stalls, vans and such, based on a set of relatively relaxed rules, was supposed to be abolished altogether on December 31, but was extended until July 1 of this year.