[News] European Union could block AstraZeneca exports if it does not receive promised doses first

[#Steeven.™]

"Please respect the contract with Europe before you start supplying [doses] to other countries," said European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened to block exports of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, if the bloc does not receive the promised doses first.

“We have the option of suspending planned exports. This is our message to AstraZeneca: Please respect the contract with Europe before starting to supply [doses] to other countries, "said the official in an interview with the German press group Funke.

Von der Leyen said that the British-Swedish laboratory AstraZeneca has only delivered 30% of the 90 million vaccines promised to the EU in the first quarter of the year.

The company argued that it had production delays at its European factories, but European officials are making no secret of their outrage at AstraZeneca, which did manage to deliver all the promised doses to the UK.

On Wednesday, Von der Leyen already threatened to tighten the conditions for vaccine exports to producing countries, for a matter of "reciprocity" and "proportionality."

"All options are on the table," said the person in charge.

"We are ready to use every tool we need to achieve this, and make sure that Europe has its fair share," she added.

The president of the European Commission recalled that the EU contract with AstraZeneca provides for the delivery of doses produced in both the EU and the UK. "But we have not received anything from the British, even though we supplied them," argued Ursula von der Leyen, adding that the EU had sent a "formal letter" to complain to the Swedish-British pharmaceutical group.

"I am unable to explain to European citizens why we export millions of doses of vaccines to countries that produce them themselves and do not return any to us," she added.

The European Union adopted a vaccine export control mechanism in January, and last week extended the deadline for applying those rules until the end of June.

Under this mechanism, companies that signed vaccine pre-sale contracts with the EU must obtain authorization to export doses outside the block.

To prohibit the export of vaccines, the Member State where they are produced must initiate the procedure and then the Commission gives its approval.

This mechanism has been applied once, in the case of Italy, which blocked the export of a shipment of 250,000 doses of the drug from AstraZeneca to Australia, arguing the "persistent shortage" of vaccines and "delays in supply" by the laboratory.