The UK is not participating in EU procurement schemes to buy ventilators, protective gear for hospital staff or coronavirus testing kit. Confirmed by UK and EU sources.
Recap: four EU public procurement schemes linked to tackling coronavirus have been launched since February. Two covering medical kit (personal protective equipment i.e. overalls, masks, eyewear etc), one on ventilators, one on lab equipment.
Most, not all, EU member states are taking part: 25 countries have joined medical kit procurement schemes, 25 bulk-buying of ventilators and 19 laboratory equipment.
The EU schemes are work in progress. Contracts on protective kits (gloves, overalls and masks) should be signed “rapidly”, the commission has just announced. Others are at a less advanced stage, with calls for tender launched.
Under David Cameron, the British government signed the 2014 EU Joint Procurement Agreement, set up after the H1N1 pandemic when some member states ran short of supplies.
The aim of joint procurement is to reduce admin, get better prices through bulk purchasing power and take advantage of medical purchasing skills that may not be equally shared (especially useful for smaller countries).
British officials don't seem to have ruled out joining any EU procurement (option expires when UK leaves transition period) and stress NHS will get everything needed. Obviously that follows criticism from NHS staff that shortages of protective kit are putting them at risk.
