UK and EU in talks to create ‘win-win situation’ amid vaccine supply tensions
The UK and European Commission have issued a joint statement claiming they are discussing ways to 'ensure a reciprocally beneficial relationship'.
The UK Government and European Commission have issued a joint statement to say they’re working to create a ‘win-win situation’ amid tensions over vaccine supplies.
It comes as the commission said today it may not approve jab exports to nations with more advanced vaccine rollouts than the bloc. Member states will also be asked to consider whether a destination company restricts its own vaccine exports, before authorising the delivery of doses.
But the joint statement noted that the pandemic’s third wave made cooperation between the EU and the UK ‘even more important’ and said both parties had been discussing ‘what more we can do to ensure a reciprocally beneficial relationship’ between them.
It added: ‘In the end, openness and global cooperation of all countries will be key to finally overcome this pandemic and ensure better preparation for meeting future challenges. We will continue our discussions.’
Earlier today commission executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis denied that the bloc’s new export authorisation mechanism was targeting any one country.
However, he stated that 10 million jabs had moved from the EU to the UK since the new checks had been introduced, and claimed ‘zero doses’ had been received from the UK in return.
He argued that the controls were necessary because, while the EU is one of the ‘global hotspots of the pandemic’, it is also the ‘largest exporter of vaccines’.
Just over 11% of adults in the EU have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine, compared to 54% of those in the UK.
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The Pfizer vaccine is the main vaccine export from the EU, and is being produced in Germany and Belgium. Mr Dombrovskis did not rule out restricting the Pfizer jab, saying: ‘Concrete decisions will be taken on a case-by-case basis.’
A UK Government spokesperson responded to the mechanism by saying: ‘We are all fighting the same pandemic – vaccines are an international operation; they are produced by collaboration by great scientists around the world. And we will continue to work with our European partners to deliver the vaccine rollout.
‘We remain confident in our supplies and are on track to offer first doses to all over-50s by April 15 and all adults by the end of July. Our plan to cautiously reopen society via our road map also remains unchanged.’
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