EU threatens AstraZeneca with export ban

BERLIN: The European Union's executive arm is increasing its pressure on pharma companies to fast track their

vaccine delivery

to the

continent

as virus numbers are rising again across EU.


The

European Commission

said on Saturday that AstraZeneca particularly, could face export bans to countries outside the EU if it does not quickly deliver the vaccines to the 27-nation bloc as promised.

"We have the possibility to ban planned exports," commission president

Ursula von der Leyen

said.

"This is a message to AstraZeneca: You fulfill your part of the deal toward Europe before you start to deliver to other countries," he added in an interview with German media group Funke.

Von der Leyen said the contract between the EU and AstraZeneca regulates how much vaccines the EU gets from AstraZeneca's plants inside the EU and in

Britain

.

However, von der Leyen further said that, "We didn't get anything from the Brits while we are delivering vaccines to them." She said the commission had sent a "formal reminder" to AstraZeneca regarding the issue.

AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine is one of the three which have been approved in the EU.

However, its usage has been overshadowed by many problems. A slow start, recurring delivery problems and a temporary ban for several days earlier this week are some issues being faced by the company.

Most countries in the EU resumed giving shots of AstraZeneca again on Friday as infection numbers were rising again across the continent. AstraZeneca's vaccine, is seen as critical to ending the coronavirus pandemic.