EU Places Export Controls On Covid Vaccines

CNBC: EU places export controls on coronavirus vaccines 

 * The EU’s vaccination program has been sluggish at best, and looking vulnerable to supply shortages.   * The export controls are expected to last until the end of March.

 * The European Medicines Agency on Friday approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in the bloc, about a month after it was first given the greenlight in the U.K. 

LONDON — The European Union on Friday placed temporary controls on the export of coronavirus vaccines made inside the bloc, following a spat with British pharma giant AstraZeneca and wider supply issues. 

It has been dealt two massive blows recently with Pfizer saying it would be temporarily lowering production while it upgraded its production capacity at its Belgian plant. 

Last week, AstraZeneca also said it would be delivering far fewer doses to the EU in the spring than initially expected, due to production issues at its plants in the Netherlands and Belgium. 

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WNU Editor: 92 countries are exempted from these export controls, but "rich countries are not .... 

  .... Some 92 countries, are exempt from the regulation, Dombrovskis said. An EU official specified these include the EFTA countries of Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland, along with the Western Balkans, North African countries, and other Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon and Israel, as well as poor countries covered by the COVAX facility. 

The United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and other rich countries will however not be exempt, the official added. 

Update: Canadian Prime minister Trudeau said only two days ago that he talked to the head of the EU, and was promised that exports of vaccines to Canada would not be impacted. And now we have these EU export controls targeting countries like Canada that will probably impact supplies. Something is amiss. 

Update #2: This is definitely going to cause a global vaccine crisis .... EU Risks Global Vaccine Battle With Bold Export Control Plan (Bloomberg) 

 More News On The EU Placing Export Controls On Covid Vaccines 

Coronavirus: EU confirms new vaccine export controls -- BBC 

EU plan to block vaccine exports risks 'devastating' global vaccine supply -- Business Insider 

EU imposes vaccine export controls on rich nations from Saturday -- Politico 

Macron calls for Covid vaccine exports from EU to be controlled -- The Guardian

EU threatens legal action to secure more doses as vaccine shortage reaches crisis point -- Market Watch