The
European Commission has adopted a revision of the mechanism for the authorization of the export of vaccines
, adding "reciprocity" and "proportionality" among the criteria to be evaluated for the green light.
Applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but the aim is that export requests do not pose a threat to the security of supply for the 27 EU countries.
The initiative revokes the exemption for 17 countries, while Covax's 92 low- and middle-income countries remain excluded from the instrument's scope.
Union companies "have exported large quantities of products covered by the export authorization mechanism to countries that have a large production capacity of their own, while these countries limit their exports to the Union by law or through contractual or other types concluded with vaccine producers established in their territory. This imbalance leads to supply shortages within the Union ", reads the regulation just approved.
"Furthermore - it is explained - the Union producers have exported large quantities" of doses to some "countries without production capacity, but which have a higher vaccination rate than the Union or where the epidemiological situation is less serious than in the EU. Exports to these countries can therefore threaten the security of supply within the Union ".
"Member States should refuse export authorizations accordingly" and "the Commission should also consider these additional elements" for its assessments.
"The EU is the only major OECD producer that continues to export vaccines on a large scale to dozens of countries.
But the roads have to run two-way
. This is why the European Commission will introduce the principles of reciprocity and proportionality in the existing authorization mechanism of the Union.
We must ensure timely and sufficient deliveries of vaccines to the citizens of the Union
. Every day counts ", commented the President of the Community Executive Ursula Von der Leyen.
The European Commission accelerates on the authorization of Covid-19 vaccines adapted to variants
.
"We are allowing EMA to approve updated vaccines faster to address new variants. Faster approval means more vaccines in circulation and more Europeans protected from the virus," said President Ursula Von der Leyen.
