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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

2 Feb

Angela Merkel has just admitted on German public broadcaster ARD that it ‘rankles’ that U.K., US and Israel are vaccinating faster than EU countries but she insisted that nothing went wrong with the bloc’s procurement of vaccines /1

Britain, she said, had given an emergency approval to the Astra Zeneca vaccine within 24 hours but the EU had decided against that because, she said, countries depended on the trust of their citizens /2

Chancellor Merkel said in interview the EU wouldn’t have got more vaccines if it had offered more money to pharmaceutical companies. She said every vaccine is welcome in the EU as long as it’s approved by the European Medicines Agency /3

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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

2 Feb

The EU Commission denies President von der Leyen “attacked”’the U.K. over its vaccine approval policy.
In an interview with a number of European papers she was asked about the slower approval by the European Medicines Agency of vaccines compared to countries eg U.K. but /1

The Commission says von der Leyen answered the question comparing two methods. Not singling out the U.K.
Journalists in the room report the same Eg elpais.com/sociedad/2021-… and repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/0… /2

Von der Leyen is quoted as saying “Some countries started to vaccinate a little before Europe, it is true,” “But they resorted to emergency, 24-hour marketing authorisation procedures. The commission and the member states agreed not to compromise with the safety and efficacy..“/3

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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

29 Jan

After huge to + fro between AstraZeneca and Brussels about the terms of their #covid vaccines contract, the EU Commission says AstraZeneca has now agreed to publish the contract. EU has argued terms include delivery of vaccines from the company’s UK as well as EU production sites

Contract does mention that under the terms of making the”best reasonable efforts”(legal term in this context) to provide EU with agreed number of vaccines AstraZeneca would use production facilities in EU but also U.K. and possibly sites outside EU “to accelerate supply” toEurope

EU believes it has a strong case to demand some vaccines produced in U.K. should be diverted to EU to make up the approx 60% shortfall in vaccine delivery to EU up to end of March that AstraZeneca has warned about

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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

29 Jan

On German radio this morning, the European Commission President made clear she disputed the reasons given by Astra Zeneca for why it couldn’t honour its vaccine contract with the EU.. #covid /1

Mrs von der Leyen also disputed Astra Zeneca’s suggestion that the company’s UK based sites had to serve the UK first. She said their contract made clear the EU would have access to the UK and EU sites. She again called on Astra Zeneca to publish the contract immediately /2

Today the EU will announce details of new “transparency” regulations, requiring pharmaceutical companies to reveal how much of the vaccine/parts of the vaccine they’re producing, where they wish to export them to and when. EU countries could then authorise exports. Or not /3

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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

28 Jan

The UK Department of Health and Social Care disputes it has banned export of certain medicines incl a number used for treatment of #covid patients. Spokesman says
“Medicines that have been manufactured and intended for markets abroad are not subject to the export restrictions /1

He says:”We have restricted the exporting and hoarding medicines that have been placed on the market in the UK for UK patients to ensure the uninterrupted supply for NHS patients.” These restrictions mainly date back to March /2

The discussion about bans, alleged bans and proposed bans of medicines, equipment and especially vaccines is of course hugely sensitive. The EU has been contemplating an export ban on covid vaccines because of the current row with Astra Zeneca which has informed the EU /3

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Katya Adler

@BBCkatyaadler

30 Dec 20

European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council Pres Charles Michel (representing the 27 member states) begin the ceremonial signing of the EU-U.K. trade and cooperation agreement soon before the document is then flown to U.K. for PM to sign /1

EU enters new trade relationship in a wary frame of mind. No one I talk to here thinks this’ll be a smooth ride: the EU ever-conscious of protecting single market interests. Downing Street yearning to diverge, they believe /2

Repeatedly when I speak to EU figures about the agreement, they mention the government’s Internal Market Bill with its original clauses contradicting the Brexit divorce deal as to why there’s this wariness here. And why they hope the deal’s dispute mechanisms will be effective /3

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