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EU wants access to US produced AstraZeneca vaccines, report says

WION Web Team
Brussels, BelgiumUpdated: Mar 06, 2021, 04:53 PM IST
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AstraZeneca Covid vaccine (file photo) Photograph:(Reuters)

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According to a report published in the Financial Times, the 27-nation EU also wants Washington to ensure the free flow of shipments of crucial vaccine ingredients needed in European production.

The European Union is planning to ask the United States to permit the export of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine.

According to a report published in the Financial Times, the 27-nation EU also wants Washington to ensure the free flow of shipments of crucial vaccine ingredients needed in European production.

The FT quoted the European Commission as saying in Saturday: "We trust that we can work together with the US to ensure that vaccines produced or bottled in the US for the fulfilment of vaccine producers' contractual obligations with the EU will be fully honoured."

The EU countries started inoculations at the end of December, but are moving at a far slower pace than other rich nations, including former member Britain and the United States. Officials have so far blamed the slow progress in part on supply problems with manufacturers.

The European Commission and Italy this week blocked a shipment of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine destined for Australia after the drug manufacturer failed to meet its EU contract commitments. 

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker has been under fire in the EU for its delayed supplies of shots to the 27-nation bloc, which ordered 300 million doses by the end of June. 

AstraZeneca's CEO Pascal Soriot told EU lawmakers in a public hearing in February that they were working to improve the delivery and resolve issues.

(with inputs)