• Pandemic The EU, ready to talk about the suspension of patents for Covid vaccines proposed by the US

  • Animal Spirits The world vaccine factory falls victim to Covid

  • Live Coronavirus, live

"We all agree that we have to do everything possible to increase vaccine production worldwide," said the President of the European Council,

Charles Michel,

on his arrival at

the second day of the informal summit of leaders. in Porto,

and that is why they are willing to negotiate any proposal that is put on the table to release patents but, they insist, "we do not believe that in the short term it is the magic solution."

The leaders of the 27 are gathered for an informal summit on how to develop the social pillar of the EU to tackle the consequences of the economic crisis derived from the health crisis caused by Covid-19. But the

debate over patent liberation has overshadowed it.

"We are ready to engage on this issue as soon as a concrete proposal is put on the table," said Michel.

But the EU insists that the solution is to increase production. "Today there is not a factory in the world that cannot produce for poor countries because of patents. The priority is not patents, it is not true, it is production," said French President Emmanuel Macron, in Porto. "We have exported around 50%, while in the United States and the United Kingdom, 100% of what has been produced has been consumed in the national market. The first thing is that the Anglo-Saxons end the limits on exports, "Macron insisted.

"The second is to reform the factories, as we have done in Europe, to produce more vaccines. Here, technology transfers are key. The third is to donate doses and, the fourth, in the long term, is to do as we did with HIV, that is to say, where intellectual property is a blockage, we lift it, but in a limited way, "explained the French president. Macron refers to a decision by the World Trade Organization in 2003 that allowed

the export of cheaper HIV drugs

to developing countries that could not make them themselves, thanks to the issuance of compulsory licenses so that other companies could make products. patented without the consent of the patent holder.

The French president advocates creating an international framework that allows access to vaccines to the poorest countries through a similar mechanism.But this takes time,

the negotiation could last months if not years,

and that is why the EU insists that In the short term, increasing production and guaranteeing exports is the only way to ensure the global distribution of vaccines. "The urgent thing is to produce more and that there is more solidarity now," insists the Frenchman.

The opening to negotiation, in any case, represents a shift in the European position that had been reluctant until now. "I think we should be open to this discussion, but when we do, there has to be a 360-degree view of it, because we need vaccines now, for everyone. And in the short and medium term, the renunciation of intellectual property will not it will solve the problems, it will not bring a single dose of vaccine in the short and medium term, "also insisted the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. "In the short and medium term, what is necessary is to share vaccines," he emphasizes.

Brussels recalls that its commitment to the global distribution of vaccines is not new. Both the 27 individually and the Union have contributed several billion euros to Covax, the instrument of the United Nations Organization that aims to ensure that doses also reach low and middle-income countries. In addition, von der Leyen recalled, the European Union has launched

a vaccine delivery mechanism

that has entered up to 650,000 doses in the Western Balkan countries. "We invite all those who participate in the debate on the waiver of intellectual property rights also to join us in exporting a large part of what is being produced in that region," declared the president of the Commission.

Within the EU, France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Sweden or Poland are the countries that have been most open to participating in the negotiation, while Germany, for example, has rejected it outright. In an eventual negotiation at the World Trade Organization, where a potential proposal from the United States and the initiative launched by India and South Africa that has given rise to the debate would be discussed, it would be the Commission that would represent the EU since in trade, exclusive competence belongs to the Union. Although to do so it would need a mandate from the member states. This does not require more than a qualified majority, but community sources acknowledge that it would be difficult to initiate an

international negotiation

of such caliber without counting on the unanimous support of the twenty-seven.

1.8 billion extra doses of Pfizer

The president of the European Commission has taken advantage of the Porto summit to announce that the community executive has closed with Pfizer and BioNTech

the purchase of 900 million extra doses

- with an option for another 900 million - that will be distributed between 2021 and 2023, which should guarantee the vaccine supplies on the block.

Maintaining the vaccination rate in all EU countries will be key to guaranteeing the reopening of economies and borders. The leaders discussed yesterday the implementation of the

digital green certificate,

a document with recognition throughout the Union that aims to facilitate travel between Member States, which will include a vaccination test, a negative PCR or a confirmation that there are antibodies after having passed the Covid-19 disease. The restrictions -or not- that apply to travelers will depend in any case on the member states.

The proposal was presented by the Commission a few weeks ago and has been processed urgently.

Now, the European Parliament and the Council are negotiating the details, although next week a dozen countries may launch a test to test its operation.

Brussels hopes that it can get under way at the end of June and to

give a boost to the negotiations,

Michel has confirmed that the 27 will return to address the issue during an extraordinary summit in Brussels on May 25 "to ensure that we can push all efforts to find an agreement. "

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • UPyD

  • European Comission

  • USA

  • Belgium

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • European Parliament

  • India

  • Germany

  • Poland

  • Sweden

  • Denmark

  • Italy

  • Spain

  • France

  • European Union

  • UK

  • Ursula von der Leyen

  • Europe

EnvironmentSpain, the third EU country most responsible for tropical deforestation

Tourism Spain, among the 80% of countries in the world to which the United States recommends not traveling

CompaniesThe airline sector asks to follow the example of Greece and open to tourism before the vaccination passport is ready

See links of interest

  • Work calendar

  • Home THE WORLD TODAY

  • Mutua Madrid Open: Rafael Nadal - Alexander Zverev

  • VfB Stuttgart - FC Augsburg

  • Real Sociedad - Elche

  • Leicester City - Newcastle United

  • Leeds United - Tottenham Hotspur