Astrazeneca and EU fail to resolve vaccine row after crisis talks

28 January 2021, 06:09 | Updated: 28 January 2021, 06:13

European Commissioner in charge of Health Stella Kyriakides wants to claim UK jabs for EU countries
European Commissioner in charge of Health Stella Kyriakides wants to claim UK jabs for EU countries. Picture: PA

By Asher McShane

The EU and AstraZeneca have failed to end a bitter dispute over the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine across the continent.

The EU is insisting that AstraZeneca provides the bloc with doses of the Covid-19 vaccine intended for use in the UK.

However the firm says the EU delayed signing contracts for several months, hence the UK getting more doses of the jab earlier.

The jab has not yet been approved for use in the EU but this is expected to come tomorrow.

After talks yesterday, an AstraZeneca spokesman has said the company had "committed to even closer co-ordination to jointly chart a path for the delivery of our vaccine over the coming months".

However EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides expressed regret over the "continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule".

EU threatens to impose tight controls on the export of coronavirus vaccines

Brussels is pushing the pharmaceuticals company for more doses of its jab, after it announced it can only provide a fraction it promised for the first quarter of the year.

Boris Johnson insisted the Government is "very confident in our contracts" after European health commissioner Stella Kyriakides told the firm on Wednesday it is contractually obliged to send jabs produced in the UK to EU member states.

AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot argued supply chain "teething issues" were fixed in the UK ahead of the bloc because Britain signed a contract three months earlier.

But Ms Kyriakides said: "We reject the logic of first come first served. That may work at the neighbourhood butchers but not in contracts."

She denied the bloc would impose an export ban on vaccines leaving the EU but said the contract signed with AstraZeneca, which worked with Oxford University on its vaccine, contains two factories in the UK.

"There is no hierarchy of the factories. You are aware in the contracts there are four factories listed but it does not differentiate between the UK and Europe. \

"The UK factories are part of our advance purchase agreements and that is why they have to deliver," she added.

"We expect the doses that are in an advance purchase agreement to be delivered to the European Union."

There were concerns that the UK could face supply issues for the Belgium-manufactured Pfizer jab if the EU imposed export controls, as previously suggested.

But Ms Kyriakides said: "Let me be absolutely clear, the European Union is not imposing an export ban on vaccines or restricting the export of vaccines to third countries.

"What we have proposed as a commission is an export transparency mechanism. What it will do is bring clarity on the production capacity of manufacturers."

During a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson declined to get drawn into the row but said the vaccine is being produced in "ever growing quantities in the UK", adding: "That will accelerate, the production schedules will continue to improve."

He added: "All I can say is we're very confident in our supplies, we're very confident in our contracts and we're going ahead on that basis."

In an interview with Italy's La Repubblica newspaper, Mr Soriot said "we are basically two months behind where we want to be" in supplies due to manufacturing issues in Europe, citing problems in a Belgian plant.

He said there had been "teething issues" in the UK supply chain as well but that the deal with Britain was signed three months ahead of the EU's.

"So with the UK we have had an extra three months to fix all the glitches we experienced," he said.

He rejected the suggestion the firm was selling to the highest bidder "because we make no profit everywhere" under the agreement signed with Oxford University.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that he had "total confidence" in the UK's supply of jabs.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

A drone view of Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock during an Everton under-18 friendly match test event.

Everton's new stadium makes it's grand debut after £800million and four years

Job Centre Plus, London Road, Twickenham, Greater London, England, Great Britain, United Kingdom UK, Europe

UK wages see unexpected rise as unemployment rate holds steady at 4.4 per cent

Placebo band leader Brian Molko has been charged with defamation for calling the Italian PM a fascist and a Nazi during a gig.

British rock star Brian Molko charged after 'calling Italian PM a piece of s*** fascist and a Nazi' during gig

Exclusive
Short sentences and recall periods are keeping offenders in a longer cycle of going to jail, LBC has heard.

'It sent me back to square one': Short sentences create endless cycle of jail time, inmates tell LBC

Shocking footage shows passenger's 'lucky escape' after Delta jet crashes and 'flips' at Toronto airport leaving 18 injured

Shocking footage shows passenger's 'lucky escape' after Delta jet crashes and 'flips' at Toronto airport with 18 injured

Cracks over Starmer’s 'premature' peacekeeping plan as Europe left ‘irritated’ following crisis summit

Cracks over Starmer’s 'premature' peacekeeping plan as Europe left ‘irritated’ following crisis summit

The woman was attacked by a shark

Family of woman whose hands were bitten off by shark reveal 'nightmare' after husband fought off '7ft' predator

Renée Zellweger

Mad about the Box Office: Latest Bridget Jones installment smashes rom com record

Exclusive
David Gauke wants to reduce the size of the female prison estate to make room for more male inmates. File image shows Pentonville prison

Send fewer women to jail to make room for male inmates, says former Justice Secretary

x

Starmer will ensure UK is 'leading country' as European nations step up in support of Ukraine

Gunner Beck

Women in Army subjected to 'disgusting' comments from male colleagues amid misogynistic culture, inquest hears

The aircraft can be seen upside down, with its wheels in the air, and the area thick with snow

Passenger jet 'flips over' during landing in Toronto leaving 15 injured - with three critical

Paula Miluska had started working from home in November 2022 due to her pregnancy illness

Woman awarded £93k payout after boss fires her for morning sickness by sending jazz hands emoji

c

Britain must take a ‘leading responsibility’ for peace in Ukraine, says PM as he calls for US ‘security guarantee’

Andrew Tate is facing allegations of trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering

Trump team 'pressuring Romania to lift restrictions on Andrew Tate'

Skyrora, a rocket company with its headquarters in Edinburgh

Scottish company promises to blast rockets into space from 2026