“Recovery from Covid depends on international cooperation and putting restrictions in place puts the global vaccine battle at risk”. A spokesman for the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, quoted by the British media, comments on yesterday’s Italian decision to block the export of 250,000 AstraZeneca doses produced in Italy at the Anagni plant and directed to Australia. Downing Street did not mention the Italian government, but recalled how Johnson received reassurances from Ursula von der Leyen on the EU’s desire not to limit the exports of pharmaceutical companies, limiting itself to «controlling their transparency. We expect these commitments to be respected ”concluded the prime minister’s spokesman.
Di Maio: “as long as there are delays we will continue to block”
The Italian line in favor of blocking exports, under certain conditions, was reaffirmed by the Foreign Minister Di Maio: «The pharmaceutical companies are late with the supplies guaranteed to the EU. The delays are unacceptable, “he said at a press conference at the Farnesina with his French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian to explain the reasons for the stop:” it is not a hostile act towards Australia, “added Di Maio. “But as long as there are delays we will continue to block.” The French health minister today, in a TV interview, approved the Italian decision, adding: “we should do it too”.
The Draghi line that justifies the stop to exports
Ours was the first EU country to have stopped a stock
of doses starting from when the European Commission created the notification and authorization mechanism for the export of anti-Covid vaccines outside the Union and Draghi himself, in the last European Council of 25 February to raise the issue: there is no we can allow quantities of vaccines produced in European factories to leave our borders, at least if the pharmaceutical companies do not comply with the contractual commitments made with Brussels and cascade with the Member States. In the specific case of the doses of Astrazeneca, the consideration was then added that Australia, half of the vaccine, is not a country in emergency.
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March 5, 2021 (change March 5, 2021 | 16:18)
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