EU leaders have endorsed the European Commission’s mechanism to authorise the export of vaccine doses outside Europe before shipment, though remaining cautious on its use, while the bloc promoted its current track record as the world’s main vaccine exporter.
The European Commission has adjusted its mechanism to control exports of COVID-19 vaccines to seek ‘fairness’ in the global supply chain, dismissing claims of vaccine protectionism.
Despite being the most affected group by the coronavirus-induced crisis, young Europeans feel increasingly left out from the plans for post-pandemic recovery. Experts call for targeted measures to support them and ensure a quick implementation of the EU’s Youth Guarantee at the national level.
EU countries expressed concern Thursday (18 March) that the European Commission’s sustainable battery proposal sets unworkable targets and deadlines and would increase bureaucratic costs for battery producers, raising the prospect that the legislation will require significant changes before entering into law.
Although the newly proposed vaccine certificate should not be considered a second passport, the European Commission’s tool conceived to ease free movements restrictions – and save the summer season – still raises concerns ranging from discriminatory aspects to its medical validity.
The EU said on Wednesday (17 March) it is prepared to tighten COVID vaccine exports to vaccine-producing countries or those with higher vaccination rates if they do not comply with its plea for “openness and reciprocity”, in a move seen as a veiled threat to the UK, one of the key vaccine manufacturing countries.
Following lengthy and at times contentious negotiations, the European Parliament and Council agreed Friday (11 March) on the Connecting Europe Facility, making available over €30 billion in funding for transport, digital, and energy projects.
Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz accused the EU on Friday (12 March) of unfairly distributing COVID-19 vaccines among member states, highlighting that certain EU countries have several times more vaccines than others.
Hungary is asking the European Commission to publish all vaccine contracts jointly procured by the EU, as well as delivery schedules, pointing out that it has already made public its own vaccine contracts with China and Russia for the sake of “maintaining public confidence”.
Nine EU member states have called on the EU’s chief diplomat, Joseph Borrell, to have a strategic discussion on the Western Balkan countries and their prospects when EU foreign ministers meet in April, according to a letter made available to EURACTIV.
