Rutte warns against strict export regulations for vaccines | Inland

Rutte spoke to his 26 EU colleagues as well as EU leaders Von der Leyen and Michel via a video link on Thursday, and the shooting European vaccination campaign in particular received attention. The European Commission tightened export rules on Wednesday, especially with the British in mind, and many countries support that hardline.

But Rutte is much more cautious than many of his colleagues for fear of escalation and disruption of international vaccine production lines. According to him, he listened carefully to his objections. “It touches on complex supply lines. You don’t want to affect the logistics process. ”

It disturbs the EU that the British do receive vaccines from Europe, but the other way around nothing goes from British factories to the EU. The EU and the UK are fighting over vaccines from AstraZeneca, which provides the EU with only a fraction of what it has promised and will not deliver on its commitments in the second quarter.

Rutte does not want to burn his fingers on the vaccines that are made at Halix in Leiden. There are reportedly 4 million doses of which both the EU and the UK have coveted eyes.

“That is really a matter between the UK and the Commission,” said Rutte. If the executive committee of the EU indicates that a shipment must be stopped, the Netherlands will comply. “But this is not a bilateral issue,” says Rutte. The Commission continues to talk to the British on Saturday to find a solution. “Vaccines will undoubtedly go to the UK,” Rutte warns.

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