troubled times
for a troubled leader
and now divisions france and italy
pushing
for a tough stance on vaccine exports
germany and the netherlands keen to keep
lines open
and they appear to have the upper hand
after the uk
and the european commission issued a
joint statement
given our interdependencies we are
working on specific steps
we can take in the short medium and long
term
to create a win-win situation and expand
vaccine supply for all our citizens
a note of diplomacy as eu leaders are
asked tomorrow
to approve a european commission
proposal that could see a ban
on the export of vaccines to the uk
alarm in the commission over what it
regards as a
mismatch permission for 43 million doses
of vaccines
to leave eu shores with very little
in return restrictions could be
introduced
on two grounds
reciprocity is a country receiving eu
manufactured vaccines restricting its
own
exports and proportionality is a
receiving country in a better
or worse position on covid in terms of
virus rates
and vaccination rates enough there for
both sides in the eu debate
possible grounds for restrictions
because the uk
is way ahead of the eu on vaccinations
but perhaps no action because the uk
is providing supplies to the eu
not difficult to see who is in the sight
of some
in brussels some 10 million doses had
been
exported from uk from eu
to uk and zero doses had been exported
from uk
to eu so if we discuss
reciprocity solidarity and
we should say global responsibility so
it's
clear that we also need to look at those
aspects of
boris johnson warned the eu that it
might scare off
pharmaceutical companies if it imposes
bans
i would just gently point out to anybody
considering
a blockade or an interruption of of
supply chains that
uh companies uh may uh look at such
actions and
uh and and draw conclusions about uh
about whether or not it is sensible to
make to make future
investments in in countries where you
know
arbitrary blockades are imposed
and support for the uk from a german mep
from a party in the country's governing
coalition if we take a look at the
export ban
that path is a dangerous path i feel
pfizer does receive materials and
ingredients from the uk
the uk may then place a ban on the
export of those substances
to the european union which would
obviously create a problem
you cannot wrap a flag around a vaccine
in this modern world it just doesn't
work that way
an adviser to the eu senses a deal in
the air
what i think is quite reassuring is that
the parties involved
are elevating this and taking it away
from the very acrimonious dispute
around other aspects of the relationship
between the eu
and the uk it's seen as being really too
important
to get into the political debate that's
been going on elsewhere
with a distinct feeling of spring in the
air there were signs today
the first in a long time of a thor in
relations between
the uk and the eu for years
stuck in their own trenches on brexit
the two sides seem to be
inching towards a mutual recognition
that on vaccines
they simply have to work together
a showdown by zoom in brussels tomorrow
where eu leaders will grapple with just
how far to go
with a former partner outstripping them
on
vaccines