Having advised EU member states not to purchase Covid-19 vaccines under the COVAX Facility, which was designed to organise the procurement of coronavirus vaccines at global level, the European Commission announced on Monday 31 August that it intends to join COVAX.
The purpose behind COVAX, which operates under the auspices of GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance), CEPI and the WHO, is to facilitate fair access to the vaccine worldwide.
“We will join COVAX together with our EU Member States, as Team Europe”, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The European investment banks are on board.
She added: “The Commission will also make a contribution of €400 million in guarantees to the COVAX Facility and its goals. This contribution will help buy and deliver doses of future vaccines for low- and middle income countries”.
Parallel negotiations are continuing with pharmaceutical companies to purchase doses of vaccines on behalf of the EU member states (see EUROPE 12547/7).
In response to a question about clauses exempting companies from civil liability, the spokesperson confirmed that the Commission will compensate companies for any unexpected side effects exhibited by their vaccines. “We have put in the contracts the possibility that we will indemnify vaccine manufacturers against liability”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)