Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, spokesperson Paola Ansuini, confirmed the move to CNN, adding that Italy and the European Commission had agreed on the action. This is the first time such EU measures have been used.
The story was first reported by the Financial Times.
At the end of January, a public and bitter dispute arose between the EU and AstraZeneca over the delay in vaccines, after the company advised the bloc that it would deliver ten million million doses than agreed at the end of March.
The European Commission later adopted new measures giving member states the power to restrict the export of Covid-19 vaccines outside the block, in certain situations. The mechanism is not intended to affect humanitarian aid or COVAX, the global initiative aimed at distributing approximately 2 billion vaccines to poorer countries.
The deployment of the 27-nation vaccine continued to falter, prompting some increasingly frustrated member states to turn to foreign countries for help. Only 5.5% of the EU population of 447 million received a first dose of vaccine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Italian Foreign Ministry on Thursday set out its decision to prevent AstraZeneca from exporting its vaccine, citing the company’s delays in delivering the vaccine to Italy and the European Union, noting that Australia would not the EU is not considered a ‘vulnerable’ country.
According to the ministry’s statement, Italy had previously authorized the export of ‘modest quantities of samples intended for scientific research activities’, but labeled the consignment in question as involving 250,700 doses.
The statement said “the high number of doses vaccinated is subject to the request for export authorization compared to the amount of doses provided so far to Italy and, more generally, to EU countries.”
AstraZeneca declined to comment on the Italian decision.
The European Commission “did not oppose the decision against Italy” to impose a ban on vaccines for Australia, “an EU official told CNN on Thursday.
The official is closely involved in trade proceedings within the Commission, but is not authorized to speak on the record of closed-door meetings or of trade documents between the Commission and the Member States of the European Union.
Under EU procedures, a company wishing to export the vaccines from an EU Member State must notify the Member State. The Member State looks at criteria for export and makes a draft decision on whether the export should be approved. European Commissioners then have one working day to approve, amend or reject the Member State’s decision. The Member State must follow the decision of the Commission.
The EU official told CNN that during the period from January 30 to March 1, 2021, EU member states approved 174 requests for export authorizations for vaccine.
“Exports cover the following export destinations: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, “Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay,” the official said.
Nicola Ruotolo reports from Rome, James Frater from London and Zamira Rahim writes in London.