The European Union's EU executive committee officially approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German Bioentech on the 21st local time.



The EU Commission made an official approval decision the same evening, just hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended conditional marketing approval of the vaccine through an expert committee meeting that afternoon.



This is the first COVID-19 vaccine approved by the EU.



Accordingly, the first Corona 19 vaccination will begin within a few days in 27 EU countries with a population of 450 million.



According to the AP, Reuters, and others, the head of the EU administration, Urzula Ponderaien, said that evening, following the EMA's recommendations, the Pfizer-Bioentech Corona 19 vaccine would be approved for conditional sale in the EU.



This finalizes the approval process for the Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine in the EU, allowing each member state to begin vaccination immediately.



Earlier that afternoon, EMA made a conditional marketing recommendation for the vaccine, recommending it to citizens over the age of 16, and said there are some exceptions.



The EU's conditional marketing approval is a process to quickly respond to public health-threatening emergencies such as COVID-19, allowing pharmaceuticals to be sold for one year in 27 member states and can be renewed annually.



This decision came amid continued approvals and vaccinations in countries such as the United States and Canada since the UK approved the emergency use of the Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine for the first time in the world on the 2nd.



The Associated Press said the vaccine has already been approved by regulatory authorities in at least 15 countries around the world.



The Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine showed a 95% preventive effect in phase 3 clinical trials.



The EMA was initially scheduled to decide whether to approve the vaccine by the 29th, but it has taken it a week or more.



EU member states have pressed faster decisions as the spread of Corona 19 continues.



On the 6th of next month, EMA will hold an evaluation meeting for the US pharmaceutical company modder or vaccine.



The EU Commission is hoping that the 27 member states will start distributing the vaccine simultaneously to demonstrate EU unity.



Executive Chairman Fon der Raien announced that vaccination would begin across the EU on the 27th to 29th, and he confirmed the plan again.



Earlier, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, and Bulgaria said they plan to start vaccination on the 27th.



Bioentech and Pfizer said earlier that they are ready to begin shipping vaccines across the EU upon approval by the EU Commission.



However, EMA Commissioner Emma Cook predicts that it will take a long time for all citizens of the 27 EU countries to get the vaccine.



The 27 member states of the EU target up to 70% of the population.



Vaccination will be carried out in stages, with first priority targeting medical workers at the front line and residents of elderly nursing homes.



In most countries, it is expected that the general public must reach the end of the first quarter of next year in order to receive the vaccination.



Medical students, retired doctors, pharmacists, and military personnel will be mobilized for vaccination campaigns on an unprecedented scale.



The EU Commission previously signed a contract to purchase 200 million doses of Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine and choose to purchase an additional 100 million doses.



Reuters reported that the EU has agreed to pay 15.50 euros (approximately 20,000 won) per dose of Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine based on internal EU data obtained by itself.



EMA officials say the vaccine is likely to work for the new corona 19 strain spreading in the UK.