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, its chief spokesman said on Friday.
Trade bloc chief spokesman Eric Mamer addressed Italy’s decision to block the export of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia in a media conference.
“The message is very clear … that we expect companies with which the European Union has signed advanced procurement agreements to do their utmost to comply with the supply contracts they enter into with the Member States,” Mamer said.
The fact is that the European Union is a major exporter of vaccine doses, ‘he added.
“We have always said that we have been in intensive discussions with the company to ensure respect for the delivery plan, because EMA has approved this vaccine, and we call on member states to use it.”
The spokesman further said that it is not the EU’s place to tell the company where the doses should go, adding that it remains in the possession of AstraZeneca.
“We are not making a decision that says the 250,000 doses should go to X or Y, that is not our business,” he said.
“Our business is to say that the Italian authorities have decided to support the export, because the assessment is that delivery should be made to EU countries, and it is basically the conversation that we will continue with the company. to have. ”