EU Confronts the UK's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Commitments

The European Union announced new rules regarding exports of COVID-19 vaccines on January 29, 2021. However, according to the AP News, the European Commission (EC) made clear the new measure will not trigger controls on COVID-19 vaccine shipments produced in the 27-nation union to parts of the United Kingdom (UK).

“The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers, and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfillment of these contracts,” the UK said.

Stella Kyriakides, the commissioner for health and food safety, Tweeted the EU is working with companies to ensure the vaccines are delivered. "It depends on all parties living up to their contractual, social, and moral responsibilities," she said.

These concerns are related to the European Commission granting a conditional marketing authorization (CMA) for the COVID‑19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, the third COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the EU.

The President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a press release, “Securing safe vaccines for Europeans is our utmost priority. With the AstraZeneca vaccine now authorized, 400 million additional doses will be available in Europe. I expect the company to deliver these doses as agreed so that Europeans can be vaccinated as soon as possible. We will continue doing all we can to secure more vaccines for Europeans, our neighbors, and our partners worldwide.”

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 (AZD1222) coronavirus vaccine candidate is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus). Genetic material has been added to the ChAdOx1 construct, which is used to make proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus called Spike glycoprotein.