European Union to tighten curbs on Covid-19 vaccine export: Report

The European Union (EU) announced it will give itself stronger powers to stop Covid vaccine exports to the rest of the world, setting the stage for an escalation of tensions with allies and manufacturers as it faces a third wave of infections.
 
The EU, in strengthening its existing export rules, will demand that countries that received doses from the EU also allow shots to be sent back. It will also consider a nation’s vaccination rate and pandemic situation when deciding whether to green light shipments. The mechanism won’t be automatic, but will be used on a case-by-case basis.
 

The proposal comes as the bloc struggles to turn around its sluggish inoculation campaign and as governments from Berlin to Paris battle a rise in infections more than a year since they started.
 

The situation has also been fueled by a spat with the UK, it’s former member, over vaccine supplies to Britain.
 
“We have to ensure timely and sufficient vaccine deliveries to EU citizens,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “The EU is the only major Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development producer that continues to export vaccines at large scale to dozens of countries, but open roads should run in both directions.”

 
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