BRUSSELS (AP) – EU leaders were looking for ways to increase COVID-19 vaccinations across the region of 27 countries on Thursday amid dose shortages, spikes in new cases, a feud with the UK and internal disputes.
The coronavirus pandemic once again prevented leaders from meeting in person, reflecting the precarious epidemiological situation in the EU. The spread of more contagious variants of the virus has pushed hospitals in some countries to their limits and, combined with the lack of vaccines available in Europe, has led several EU members to impose strict blocking measures during the Easter period.
Three months after the start of vaccination campaigns, less than 5% of the EU’s 450 million residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Speaking ahead of the video talks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the problems with the delivery of coronavirus vaccines underscored the need for the EU to redouble its efforts to produce doses within the bloc.
“We can clearly see that British facilities are producing for Britain. The United States is not exporting and, therefore, we depend on what can be produced in Europe, ”he said.
To ensure a more stable supply of vaccines, the bloc’s executive branch proposed to strengthen export controls on vaccines against the coronavirus. Even if the change is detrimental to countries outside the EU, the European Commission’s objective is to force vaccine manufacturers, especially AstraZeneca, to deliver the doses agreed in their contracts.
The commission also wants to ensure that a principle of reciprocity in exports is applied to countries that are producing vaccines or the raw materials needed for them.
EU Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis explicitly pointed to Britain earlier this week, saying that since the end of January “around 10 million doses have been exported from the EU to the UK and no doses have been exported from the UK to the EU “.
The commission’s proposal created division. While some countries see it as a tool of last resort that should not damage the EU’s reputation as an open trade bloc, others said it is a crucial tool in ensuring that vaccine doses and ingredients reach the bloc.
“Some countries refuse to export. Therefore, we need to introduce reciprocity criteria if we are to maintain our vaccination target for the summer, ”said a diplomat, referring to the EU’s goal of having 70% of the adult population vaccinated by that season. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity before the summit.
Based on EU contracts with manufacturers, the commission expressed confidence that 360 million doses will be delivered during the second quarter of the year.
“Together, we will ensure that Europeans receive their fair share of vaccines,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after informing EU leaders.
Tighter export controls could have an impact on Britain, whose rapid launch of vaccination after formally withdrawing from the EU has been viewed with envy by many European countries. The latest figures show that 45% of British residents have had at least one vaccine injection, compared to less than 14% in the EU.
The EU’s contractual disputes with the Swedish-British company AstraZeneca have deepened post-Brexit tensions. However, the EU and the UK this week pledged to increase cooperation and fight together against the third wave of infections in Europe.
EU officials said that trade with the United States should not be affected by the mechanism. US President Joe Biden was invited to participate in the EU’s virtual summit.
The leaders of EU member countries also need to resolve an internal dispute after Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz criticized the distribution of vaccines, saying that some countries were getting more than fair. Austria – is leading a coalition of six countries calling for a correction mechanism.
“The word solidarity is always called and used frequently in the European Union – people are trying to take care of the whole world,” said Kurz. “And when Member States have far fewer vaccines available than others, I think this is a big problem for Europe. I would go so far as to say that I think that when there is no solution, it can cause damage to the European Union as we have not seen for a long time ”.
As part of the joint procurement established by the European Commission, doses are allocated on a pro rata basis, but Member States are free to place orders directly with the manufacturer of their choice. Some countries are receiving less than their base pro rata.
The vast majority of EU members think the system is working well and said that Austria made a mistake by focusing on AstraZeneca doses instead of diversifying its portfolio. To help the countries that struggle the most, member countries are examining ways to make efficient use of the additional 10 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that were made available to the bloc in the second quarter.
“But the correction will not apply to all member states, only those that really need solidarity,” said one diplomat, requesting anonymity.
Highlighting further the division of vaccination within the EU, the Danish government announced on Thursday that it would continue the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine for another three weeks. Several European countries that have suspended the use of the vaccine for fear that it could cause blood clots have returned to administering it after the European Union’s drug regulator said it was safe.
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David Rising in Berlin and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen contributed to this report.
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