The EU has exported more than a billion doses of anti-Covid vaccines (von der Leyen) - France 24

Brussels (AFP)

The EU has exported more than a billion doses of anti-Covid vaccines in ten months to more than 150 countries, or half of the doses produced in Europe, the European Commission said on Monday.

"Very clearly, the EU is the world's largest exporter of vaccines," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a short video posted online.

"We have always fairly shared our vaccines with the rest of the world," and the 27 have so far delivered around 87 million doses to low and middle income countries through the international Covax program, the chief said. of the European executive.

The EU will still give "in the next few months" at least 500 million additional doses to these vulnerable countries, "but other countries must also redouble their efforts," added von der Leyen.

Brussels announced at the end of September to extend until the end of December its mechanism for controlling exports of anti-Covid vaccines produced in the EU, in order to guarantee supplies to the 27 in the face of "uncertainties" fueled by the emergence of new variants .

This mechanism in force since the end of January requires, before any export of vaccines outside the EU by a laboratory, to obtain the green light from the Member State from which the doses are shipped, with the exception of shipments to vulnerable countries or benefiting from exemptions.

This decision must then be confirmed by the Commission.

A control instituted to monitor in particular the shipments of the AstraZeneca laboratory, accused of not honoring its orders to the EU for the benefit of other countries.

In practice, between the end of January and the end of September, the Twenty-Seven approved more than 2,600 requests for exports to 56 countries and territories (United Kingdom, Australia, United States, Chile, Canada, Israel, Japan, Turkey ...).

During this period, only one export request - from AstraZeneca to Australia - was rejected.

Several powers (United States, India, South Africa ...), in unison with NGOs, are calling for a temporary lifting of the patents protecting vaccines in order to develop their production, but Brussels refuses to do so, preferring to increase the European participation in the Covax solidarity mechanism.

© 2021 AFP