COVID vaccine manufacturers 'must deliver', says EU chief amid shortfall by AstraZeneca

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on January 26 said that companies producing COVID-19 vaccines “must deliver”. As tensions mounted between the EU and pharmaceutical firms that have delayed deliveries, von der Leyen said that the vaccine manufacturers must honour their delivery obligations. During a live video address of the annual World Economic Forum, she further added that Brussels would establish a mechanism to monitor vaccine exports from the bloc.

The EU Executive said, "Europe invested billions to help develop the world's first COVID19 vaccines. To create a truly global common good. And now, the companies must deliver. They must honour their obligations”. 

She added, “This is why we will set up a vaccine export transparency mechanism. Europe is determined to contribute. But it also means business”. 

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EU warns of blocking vaccine export 

Von der Leyen’s comments come after AstraZeneca told the EU that it could not meet agreed supply targets by the end of March. The 27-nation-bloc has already threatened to block the export of COVID-19 vaccine to third world countries outside the EU such as Britain. While the EU was due to receive at least 100 million doses in the first quarter of 2021, it is feared that the member states will only receive half of that despite the large advance purchases before the authorisation of the company’s COVID-19 candidate by the European medicines agency.

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Facing criticism of a slow rollout in the EU, the European Commission threatened to impose controls on vaccines that would affect Belgium-manufactured Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Warning the EU “will take any action required to protect its citizens and rights”, European health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said in a broadcast address that an “export transparency mechanism” will be installed “as soon as possible”. 

“In the future, all companies producing vaccines against Covid-19 in the EU will have to provide early notification whenever they want to export vaccines to third countries,” she said after accusing AstraZeneca of failing to give a valid explanation for the shortfalls from its end. 

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