It is a “
hard
” and “
firm
”
Europe
that faces AstraZeneca.
Guest of the “Grand Jury RTL-
Le Figaro
-LCI”, the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, criticized the delivery delays observed for several weeks regarding the Swedish-British vaccine.
An immediate formal notice was sent to the laboratory to initiate legal proceedings if the latter "
does not correct things
".
Read also: AstraZeneca: confusion around a vaccine
Europe is now based on a “
diversification strategy
”.
While new "
shifts
" in dose deliveries by AstraZeneca are planned this week, they should not prevent France from meeting its objectives, namely 10 million people vaccinated in mid-April (a milestone already crossed), 20 million in mid-May and 30 million in June.
“
We have a strategy based on at least four vaccines with a very strong acceleration in deliveries in total.
This is what makes it possible to expand vaccination faster than expected,
”said the Secretary of State.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, has indeed announced the expansion of vaccination to all over 55s as of Monday, April 12.
A new AstraZeneca production site in the Netherlands
Sanctions are however being considered against AstraZeneca.
Denouncing the laboratory's lack of transparency, Clément Beaune said it was "
making fun of Europeans
".
Of the four vaccine production sites, those located in the United Kingdom have not yet delivered any dose to Europe.
At the same time, a production site has just been approved in the Netherlands to manufacture the vaccine on European soil.
“
(The British) now need doses that are produced in Europe, including AstraZeneca.
We told them very clearly: if you don't deliver to us, we won't deliver to you.
It is a simple principle of a Europe which is not naive
”, warned the Secretary of State.
Read also: AstraZeneca vaccine: these health professionals who defy the advice of health authorities
He also wanted to be reassuring.
While the government has often been criticized for a lack of anticipation since the start of the crisis, Clément Beaune assured to negotiate with the laboratories "
a second generation of vaccines in case it is necessary to revaccinate
".
By the end of the year, Europe should be able to produce "
3 billion doses per year, or five times the European population
".
The opportunity also to show that the institution has "
learned the lessons
" of the crisis.
“
We were less innovative, we funded the final development of vaccines less quickly than the Americans.
But (...) we did well to have this European logic,
”said Clément Beaune, also criticizing individual initiatives like the one recently taken in Bavaria.
Finally, on the question of salaries, “
European financial resources
” are devoted to it.
"
As soon as they are available, we will put them in place,
" said the Secretary of State.
