The European Commission says the message to vaccine manufacturers is very clear and calls on them to do their utmost to comply with the contracts they have signed with the bloc, the chief spokesman said Friday.
Eric Mamer, the chief spokesman for the trade bloc, spoke in a press conference about Italy’s decision to block exports of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia.
“The message is very clear … that we expect companies with which the European Union has advanced purchasing agreements to do their utmost to honor the contracts with the supply contracts they have with member states,” said Mamer.
The fact is that the European Union is a major exporter of vaccine doses, ”he added.
“We have always said that we were in fact in intense discussions with the company to make sure the delivery schedule was respected because the EMA has approved this vaccine and we urge Member States to use it.”
The spokesperson went on to say that it is not up to the EU to tell the company where the doses should go, adding that they remain in AstraZeneca’s possession.
“We’re not making a decision that says those 250,000 doses should go to X or Y, that’s none of our business,” he said.
“Our case is to say that a decision has been made by the Italian authorities that we have backed on exports, because the assessment is that progress needs to be made in supplying EU countries, and this is in fact the conversation that we will continue to have the business. “