Turkey officially became a regulatory member of the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) by a unanimous vote in May, the country’s Health Ministry announced.

According to a statement released by the ministry Tuesday, Turkey’s Drug and Medical Device Agency (TITCK) has been admitted as the group’s 17th regulatory member by a unanimous vote held on May 27, three years after having an observer role.

Other members include the European Commission, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and China’s Food and Drug Administration (CFDA).

The ministry also expects the membership to have a positive impact on the country’s medical exports.

The statement said the ICH admission meant Turkey would play a greater role in drug development and production processes and in the global pharmaceutical industry. Being a regulatory member of the ICH also demonstrates that licensed medical and pharmaceutical products developed in Turkey meet the global standards, the statement said.

Founded in 1990, the ICH is a platform bringing European, Japanese and American regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical industries together to set drug regulatory guidelines and global standards for drug reviews.