March 21, 2021
15:14
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British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace warns Europe against reputational damage and breach of contract if it blocks exports of corona vaccines to the United Kingdom.
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It would be ‘counterproductive’ for the European Union to ban the export of corona vaccines to the United Kingdom. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said this in a Sunday interview met Sky News.
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Commissievoorzitter Ursula von der Leyen warned last week that exports to third countries can be made dependent on the vaccines exported by those countries themselves. But if the Commission takes it that far, “serious reputational damage”, Wallace says now.
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Measures
Since the beginning of February the EU has already exported 10 million vaccines to the UK, but it received nothing itself. “If the situation does not change, we may have to consider making exports to vaccine-producing countries dependent on their own exports,” Commission President von der Leyen said on Wednesday. She hinted at an export ban or other even tougher measures.
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The discussion is about AstraZeneca’s corona vaccine. In his contract with the EU According to the Commission, the company commits itself to also produce for the European market in two British factories, especially if European production does not reach the set level.
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But according to AstraZeneca, what is produced on British soil is primarily destined for the British vaccination program, which is also laid down in the contract between AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford with the British government.
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Factory in Leiden
The only production site in mainland Europe that currently produces AstraZeneca vaccines for Europe is the one in Seneffe, Wallonia. Another location on European soil, the Halix factory in Leiden, the Netherlands, has until now only operated for the British market.
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A quick start-up of the Halix factory in Leiden is crucial to boost European production of the AstraZeneca vaccine. AstraZeneca waited a long time to request homologation of the production process from the EMA and is pressing the brakes, it turns out.
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‘A good manufacturing practice certificate has been issued for that site’, says Belgian Noël Wathion, number two of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), in an interview in De Tijd. ‘. But that is not enough. The company must provide additional data. We are waiting for data about the test methods.
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Expedited procedure
Wathion emphasizes that once that data is available, the homologation can be granted via an accelerated procedure. “By that I mean a few days, depending on the quality of the data.”
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He says he cannot answer the question whether EU countries can already reserve the stocks that are produced there. ‘That depends on the contracts that have been concluded. The EMA is not involved in this. ‘
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Defense Minister Wallace warns the EU not to breach contract. “Failure to comply with contracts would be particularly damaging to a trade bloc patting itself on the back for its compliance with the rule of law,” he said on Sunday.
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