Click Play to listen to this article
European Commission officials on Monday reiterated a widespread threat of vague threats to block exports of coronavirus vaccines, but were unable to explain exactly what they planned to do, when they planned to do so or how it would actually lead to more doses injected into the arms of EU citizens.
So, after another day of many more questions than answers about the slow-moving EU vaccine campaign, only this was clear: the continued stumble in Brussels was not going to stop rumors among citizens and EU national leaders ahead of a virtual European Council on Thursday.
The Commission’s threats, first articulated by President Ursula von der Leyen last week, are aimed nominally at the United Kingdom, the only vaccine-producing country to have received doses produced on the European continent, but according to all accounts, does not export any nationally produced doses.
The British government – and the British people – have reacted angrily to the EU’s saber-rattling, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has contacted his European counterparts in an attempt to avoid any new restrictive measures that could put pressure on him to respond. Some allies are already urging him to keep the fire burning, even if the EU takes action, to avoid starting a trade war that could disrupt delicate supply chains.
But at least for now, the Commission has kept its focus.
“Look, we’re not going to speculate on the tools or the actual details of what we could suggest to achieve the goals,” Commission chief spokesman Eric Mamer said. “Our question is indeed the inadequacy of vaccine delivery compared to contracts with these companies and this is the problem we want to solve: how to make sure companies deliver to the EU under the contract.”
But while Mamer, speaking at the usual press conference at noon, referred to several companies, the Commission’s anger now goes to only one: AstraZeneca, which is tens of millions of doses of what it promised to deliver. .
As a way to address this deficit, the Commission is studying the possibility of restricting exports of AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured at a plant in the Netherlands run by a subcontractor, Halix. And on Monday, Dutch officials indicated they would cooperate with the Commission’s decision to ban such exports.
But it’s unclear if that would help. Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, responsible for the EU to increase vaccine production, said earlier that the Halix factory had not shipped doses to the UK, although it may have changed.
As a separate complication, the European Medicines Agency has not yet authorized the Halix factory to manufacture vaccines for the EU. It appears that the snafu is a technical control that was the fault of the Commission for not insisting that AstraZeneca apply for this authorization, as it was the fault of the company for not doing so. That approval is already in the process, Mamer said.
Mamer repeatedly insisted throughout Monday’s press conference that the Commission’s goals were simply to force vaccine manufacturers to follow EU purchasing agreements and achieve “reciprocity” for other vaccine-producing countries to receive them. doses manufactured in the EU, again, that is, the United Kingdom.
He defined reciprocity as the export of doses of finished vaccines or raw materials needed to make vaccines.
At the same time, he confirmed that even if the Commission blocked exports, it currently had no legal authority to confiscate unsent vaccines and reuse them for EU countries. Such a measure would require additional emergency measures and could risk violating World Trade Organization rules, as well as further undermining the EU’s reputation as a defender of free trade based on international rules. .
“It’s not about banning vaccine exports,” Mamer said. “It’s about making sure we’re in a position to receive the vaccines that are planned for Europe.”
Journalists and some national officials were still wondering how the Commission would really guarantee the delivery of the expected vaccines, which it has not yet been able to do with AstraZeneca. So far, the Commission has blocked only one shipment with the support of Italy: AstraZeneca vaccines destined for Australia. On Monday, Mamer said the Commission did not know what happened to the 250,000 obstructed doses and referred questions to the company.
EU leaders are due to discuss the issue of vaccine exports during their videoconference summit on Thursday. But because they do not meet in person, they cannot make any immediate and formal decision.
It has been speculated that leaders, who are under increasing political pressure due to the slow pace of vaccinations, may want to extend export bans to focus not only on AstraZeneca, but also on BioNTech / Pfizer, Modern and possibly other producers they have had so far fulfilled their contractual commitments to the EU.
This measure would not only attract the wrath of companies, but also of other countries, including partners such as Canada, Australia and Mexico, which buy vaccines from EU manufacturers.
When he issued his new threats last week, von der Leyen offered a justification for blocking exports more broadly, a move that, while controversial, could raise vaccination rates in the EU. Coincidentally, it could also give a boost to the German ruling party of the Christian Democratic Union in a super election year.
But other EU countries said they would oppose such aggressive action and warned that von der Leyen’s incendiary approach was jeopardizing the EU’s reputation in an attempt to play in front of a German audience.
An EU diplomat said: “I feel more and more that we are only part … of a German electoral work.”
Two EU diplomats said only France and Italy clearly supported a broader export ban, while Germany’s position was unclear. And France was the only country to openly support this new high-risk approach.
“I support the announcements made by the President of the Commission … in particular to demand reciprocity,” President Emmanuel Macron said last week.
Officials from countries such as Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands said they were against blocking vaccine exports from companies fulfilling their contracts.
With the EU countries divided and the leaders practically gathered, it seemed unlikely that there would be a resolution of the debate this week.
Meanwhile, the previous effort by European Council President Charles Michel to challenge the UK to reveal how many doses it has exported seemed forgotten amid the noise of the Commission’s threats, not to mention London’s warnings about the possibility of a harmful trade war.
Emilio Casalicchio and Anna Isaac.
This article is part of POLITICIANpremium policy service: Pro Health Care. From pricing of drugs, EMAs, vaccines, pharmaceuticals and more, our specialist journalists keep you up to date on the issues driving the healthcare policy agenda. e-mail [email protected] for a free trial.