Dispute over vaccine exports: indignant British summon EU representatives

Dispute over vaccine exports
Outraged British appoint EU representatives

EU Council President Michel accuses Great Britain of blocking vaccine exports. The government in London does not want to let the accusation sit. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs quotes a representative from Brussels to London to take a stand.

In a new escalation of the vaccine dispute between Brussels and London, an EU representative was summoned to the British Foreign Office on Tuesday evening. The PA news agency reported, citing government sources. The reason is said to be a statement by EU Council President Charles Michel on an alleged ban on vaccine exports from the country.

"The British government has not even blocked the export of a single Covid-19 vaccine," said a Downing Street spokesman on. All references to a British export ban or any restrictions on vaccines are completely wrong. Raab is also said to have sent an identical letter to the EU Council President.

Michel had previously defended the EU Commission's vaccine procurement program in his newsletter. Claims that the EU practices vaccination nationalism are shocking, he wrote. For example, most of the vaccine administered in Israel comes from Belgium. The EU never stopped exporting. It is different in the USA and Great Britain. "The United Kingdom and the United States have put an outright ban on the export of vaccines or vaccine components produced in their field," wrote Michel in his newsletter on Tuesday evening.

Later he even added more. He suggested that Britain had stopped exports indirectly. "Glad if the UK response leads to more transparency and increased exports to the EU and third countries," he wrote on Twitter, adding, "(There are) different ways to introduce bans or restrictions on vaccines / drugs."

London recently criticized Brussels for halting delivery of Astrazeneca vaccine to Australia. The EU had introduced an export control mechanism after the British-Swedish company cut its delivery commitment significantly. Great Britain is not affected by Astrazeneca's delivery problems. According to managing director Pascal Soriot, London stipulated in his contract with Astrazeneca that the factories on British soil may initially only produce for the British market. But that seems to contradict the deal with Brussels.

. (tagsToTranslate) Politics (t) Astrazeneca (t) EU and Great Britain (t) Corona vaccine