The EU and the UK are very close to an agreement in the negotiations held in Brussels with the commitment to create the conditions for “a win-win solution” on the supply of anti Covid vaccines in order to “expand their distribution to all our citizens “. This was read in a joint statement by the Commission and Boris Johnson’s government released in London. “Openness and global cooperation between all countries will be the key to definitively overcome the pandemic and better prepare to face future challenges”, the two sides acknowledge, assuring that they want to “continue the discussion” on the details.
Anti-Covid vaccines, there are those in the world who can and who cannot
by Allison McCann, Lazaro Gamio
The premise had been difficult: “I only politely point out to anyone considering an export block” of Covid vaccines, “or an interruption in the supply chain, that companies are watching these actions and drawing conclusions” of the case. The reply from British Prime Minister Boris had been very harsh Johnson, questioned during a hearing in the parliamentary committee, regarding the threats of the European Union regarding the export of vaccines.
The British miracle: 27 vaccinated per second
by our correspondent Antonello Guerrera
The vice-president of the EU Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, when asked about the new rules introduced in the serum export authorization mechanism, was very clear: “The European Union has exported 10.9 million doses of vaccines to the United Kingdom. from the end of February. From the UK to the EU, zero has arrived. When it comes to solidarity, it is necessary to discuss “reciprocity and proportionality”.
The EU rewrites the rules on the export of vaccines: “Go ahead only if there is reciprocity”
In fact, the European Commission today approved a regulation with which it introduced additional criteria to be considered for authorizing exports of anti Covid-19 vaccines. “The EU exports vaccines on a large scale, but the roads must be open in both directions,” said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “The EU is proud to be home to vaccine manufacturers who not only deliver to EU citizens, but export all over the world. While our member states are facing the third wave of the pandemic and not all companies are respecting their contracts, the EU is the only major OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) producer that continues to export vaccines on a large scale to dozens of countries “, said von der Leyen. According to the president of the Commission, however, “the open roads should be in both directions. This is the reason – explained Von der Leyen – why the European Commission will introduce the principles of reciprocity and proportionality in the existing authorization mechanism of the EU. The Union has an excellent portfolio of different vaccines and we have ensured more than enough doses for the entire population. But we must ensure timely and sufficient deliveries of vaccines to EU citizens “.
The reasons why the EU has so far been afraid to say “Europe first”
di Tobias Kaiser e Stefanie Bolzen
The conclusions of the pharmaceutical companies had clarified his answer Johnson, would be to ask whether or not to make “investments in those countries that impose arbitrary blocks”. Responding to a question on the subject from the chairman of the House of Commons Health Committee, former minister Jeremy Hunt, Johnson he warned of the “considerable long-term damage” of any blocking of international supplies of vaccines or vaccine components. Hunt pressed him on asking if the British government was ready, where necessary, to “a measured and proportionate retaliation” against Brussels; but on this point Prime Minister Tory has remained cautious. “The partnership we have with our European colleagues – he replied – is very, very important and we continue to work with them”. “Vaccines – he warned – are, as we know, the product of international cooperation. And I don’t think that blocking any of them and vaccine ingredients is sensible”.
“Greed and capitalism”: the recipe with which Johnson says he has won the vaccine challenge
by our correspondent Antonello Guerrera
The blocking of exports and the supply chain of vaccines is the theme of the day in Europe: “I am pleased to welcome US Secretary of State Antony Blinken here in Brussels. The US – said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen – I am a valid and important partner for the EU, we want to create a global EU-US agenda and your presence here is a clear signal that we share the same ambitions. Our immediate priority is to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. Not look forward to engaging with you, Tony, to strengthen the global supply chain for i vaccines“.
But while supplying strategies are being discussed, the Netherlands is ready to “block” the export of vaccines “if the EU Commission requests it”, reiterated the Dutch premier, Mark Rutte, responding to a question from the media on the revision of the export authorization mechanism presented by the EU Commission. “You have to be measured in disrupting international trade in goods, but there may be good reasons for doing so,” he stressed. The premier then returned to the involvement of the Dutch Halix plant in the contracts signed by AstraZeneca with the EU and the United Kingdom: “I support the Commission in its efforts to achieve maximum transparency”.
“On vaccines, the European choice – Prime Minister Mario Draghi said – I think it was right and it is easy in hindsight to criticize the choices made in a period never experienced before, we still had to learn and we are still learning, there is still the “pitfall and the difficulty of understanding. But the disappointment of European citizens was great, I don’t know if there were mistakes, the European Commission defended itself, it doesn’t matter much. We need to be humble in judgment and look to the future: things they are better, there is a new commissioner, Breton, who is very good and the answer was immediate. We must look at the positive signs on the horizon “.
AstraZeneca has maintained “almost entirely” its commitments “with Great Britain but not with the European Union” regarding the delivery of vaccines and it is “a completely unacceptable situation”, says instead, after the Council of Ministers, the spokesman of the French government Gabriel Attal: “The European Union will not be the laughing stock of vaccination,” said Attal, recalling that “a stock of about 30 million doses has been identified during an inspection” in Italy.
.