EU vaccine procurement under international fire

The numbers don’t lie; compared to Israel, or a few Gulf monarchies, the USA or even the UK, the European Union’s vaccination against the coronavirus is way behind. The European Commission however, is quite optimistic believing that by the summer 70% of the adult population will be vaccinated– but so far, everyone seems to be struggling with a severe shortage. Who’s responsible for this delay, with consequences measured in the number of lives lost? More and more Member States are pointing out the EU’s failure to procure vaccinations while seeking out alternative sources.

Berlin, 2021. január 14. A páciensek segítője az új koronavírus elleni vakcinák beadására a német fővárosban másodikként kialakított oltóközpontban, a berlini Erika Hess jégcsarnokban 2021. január 14-én. MTI/EPA/DPA pool/Kay Nietfeld Fotó: Kay Nietfeld

Elderly citizens line up to register for a coronavirus vaccination in front of a Warsaw office on January 15, 2021. From this date, Poles over the age of 80 can register for the vaccine which will start to be administrated on January 25. Photo: MTI/PAP/ Leszek Szymanski

Sebastian Kurz didn’t mask his negative opinion either. The Austrian Chancellor criticized the EU’s joint procurement of vaccines in an interview with PULS 24. He urged the European Medicines Agency to authorize a vaccine co-developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford as soon as possible, like in the UK. He warned that if the vaccines aren’t accepted sooner than currently planned, he may lose his patience at some point.

Sebastian Kurz also revealed that after the pandemic he may question the EU’s decision-makers given that travel and vaccine issues should’ve been resolved much quicker.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in a mask Photo: MTI/AP/Ronald Zak

Andrej Babiš also finds the European Commission responsible. In an interview with newspaper Právo, the Czech Prime Minister blamed the EU’s slow authorization process for the Czech Republic’s vaccination lag in comparison with the United Kingdom or Israel.

The Prime Minister put it bluntly: the EU joint procurement efforts have only proved to be a disadvantage.

Just as his Austrian colleague, he urged the European Union, among other things, to accept new vaccines. On TV, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša also listed Slovenia among those dissatisfied with the European Commission. He made it clear that he finds it perfectly normal for countries to seek out direct contact with vaccine manufacturers.

Cyprus meanwhile, took direct steps, though in a roundabout way: in an interview with Politis, President Nicosia Anastasiadis said he had contacted Israel– where, in relation to population, vaccination has been most efficient– to obtain vaccines from them.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades already received the second dose in January Photo: MTI/EPA/Katia Hrisztodulu

The island nation would thus utilize a loophole that, according to the politician, doesn’t break nay EU rules because they are only dealing with vaccines that the EU has already authorized. The President explained his decision: vaccine manufacturing is slow, the European Union takes too long to approve vaccines, and moreover, in the beginning they focused too much on the unsuccessful ones. He pointed out that the number of doses obtained is simply not enough for a sufficient rate of vaccination.