European leaders will hold another discussion by videoconference on Thursday 25 February on the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, this time focusing on vaccine supply, border restrictions on movement and international solidarity (see EUROPE 12665/2).
Accelerating vaccination
In his letter of invitation to the EU27, the President of the European Council notes that “the priority of the European Union remains to accelerate vaccination throughout the EU”. “This means speeding up the authorisation process for vaccines, as well as their production and delivery”, continues Charles Michel.
This priority is reflected in the draft conclusions which have started to circulate and of which EUROPE has had a copy.
It is also the subject of a letter co-signed by Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland and Spain, which calls for “stimulating the production of vaccines against Covid-19”, according to a tweet from Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. The letter recommends strengthening public-private partnerships along the entire value chain and calls for a review of funding needs and means available.
New difficulties at AstraZeneca
The European Commission has set up a working group to monitor vaccine production and anticipate bottlenecks. Despite new difficulties encountered by AstraZeneca, which had announced on the evening of Tuesday 23 February that it would have to resort to production plants outside the EU in order to be able to deliver the promised doses in the second quarter of 2021, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, remains optimistic. “I am confident” about the goal of vaccinating 70% of Europeans by the end of the summer, she said.
At this stage, the EU is therefore focusing on cooperation with pharmaceutical companies despite delays in delivery. “If cooperation does not work, we have another tool to make it compulsory”, a senior European official said on Wednesday 24 February.
The day before, the Vice-President of the Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, had stated that the EU should receive a total of “300 million” doses of vaccines in the second quarter of 2021.
A European source said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is expected to deliver its opinion on the Johnson & Johnson candidate vaccine by mid-March.
Other ‘health’ items on the agenda
In addition to vaccination, EU leaders should address the issue of new variants, vaccination certificates (and even future vaccination passports), intra-EU border restrictions and international solidarity.
On coronavirus variants, a national diplomat noted that science has not yet decided whether current vaccines are able to cut off virus transmission or whether they are effective against the observed variants. He welcomed the fact that the Commission is already preparing for the possibility of annual vaccination campaigns against Covid-19.
Finally, the EU27 could also address the European export regime for vaccines, following the criticisms made by several business federations and chambers of commerce in third countries (see EUROPE 12659/10). This regulation has advantages, but also many disadvantages, noted a European source calling for a full exemption for very small supplies.
At this stage, more than 300 export applications have been made and all have been accepted by the Commission.
A first perspective
The European Council could also take a first look back at the crisis.
At this stage, the draft summit conclusions indeed invite the Commission to present a report by June 2021 on the lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes information sharing, coordination, communication and joint procurement of vaccines and protective equipment, as well as ways to ensure adequate production capacity in the EU and the establishment of strategic reserves while supporting the diversification and resilience of global supply chains.
This report should be followed by measures in the second half of 2021, the text continues. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean, with the editorial staff)