EU asks AstraZeneca to fulfill its delivery contract and Nigel Farage criticizes that European Commission have been showing their true colours. Commission puts in place transparency and authorisation mechanism for exports of COVID-19 vaccines.
Nigel Paul Farage is a British politician, activist, political commentator and broadcaster serving as leader of the Brexit Party since 2019. Known as a prominent Eurosceptic in the UK since the early 1990s, Farage campaigned for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. Today he still criticizes EU on the internet publishing online youtube videos.
Nigel Farage – Mr Brexit criticizes EU vaccines strategy
The European Commission presented on 17 June a European strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing and deployment of effective and safe vaccines against COVID-19. In return for the right to buy a specified number of vaccine doses in a given timeframe, the Commission finances part of the upfront costs faced by vaccines producers in the form of Advance Purchase Agreements (APA). Funding provided is considered as a down-payment on the vaccines that will actually be purchased by Member States. The APA is therefore a de-risk investment upfront against a binding commitment from the company to pre-produce, even before it gets marketing authorisation. This should allow for a quick and steady delivery as soon as the authorisation has been granted.
EU Control Mechanism for exports of COVID-19 vaccines
In an effort to ensure timely access to COVID-19 vaccines for all EU citizens and to tackle the current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU, the Commission put in place a measure requiring that such exports are subject to an authorisation by Member States.
The Commission has invested large amounts in the development of the production capacity of vaccine developers in the EU. This with the aim to ensure quicker delivery of vaccines to the European citizens, support planning and vaccination strategies with the ultimate goal to protect public health. It is therefore reasonable for the EU to monitor how the funds disbursed under the Advance Purchase Agreements (APA) have been used. Especially in a context of potential shortages of essential COVID-19 vaccines. The main purpose is to offer public transparency to the European citizens. The transparency and authorisation system will require companies to notify the Member State authorities about the intention to export vaccines produced in the European Union.
Eurosceptic Italian MEP mocks EU ‘transparency’ like Nigel Farage
MEP Marco Zanni from Italy posted on twitter the black text of the AstraZeneca contract. The Pharma company and the EU have signed a deal for up to 400 million doses of the vaccine. AstraZeneca changed the delivery schedule and EU tightens vaccine export rules. Italian MEP replaces the loss of Nigel Farage in Brussels. Mr Brexit Nigel Farage predicts EU’s collapse ‘within ten years’. Italians MEP mocks European transparency writing EU queen of public transparency contract with AstraZeneca.
EU: AstraZeneca logic can only work at the neighbourhood butchers
Nigel Farage shows EU vaccine failures as proof he was right for Brexit. Disagreements about vaccines and European bureaucracy proved Nigel Farage was right all along about the dangers and EU disabilities.
Ireland vaccines export controls conflict
Irish Taoiseach expressed concerns over the control mechanism on exports of vaccines from the EU. Ireland is currently in discussions with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen. Also Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the government would not discuss contractual matters. But he said the government expected contracts to be “facilitated” and he was confident of its supply.
The United Kingdom has secured 367 million doses under separate contracts and expects its vaccine contracts to be met.
Ursula von der Leyen spoke to Micheál Martin . Theyagreed on a satisfactory way to introduce an export authorisation mechanism for COVID vaccines. Also she had constructive talks with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. They agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities.
