The European Union will keep holding up vaccines from leaving the bloc until manufacturers deliver on their contract obligations to Europe, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday
ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2021) The European Union will keep holding up vaccines from leaving the bloc until manufacturers deliver on their contract obligations to Europe, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday.
On Thursday, Italy confirmed blocking a shipment of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine to Australia amid the continued spat with the Anglo-Swedish concern over delayed vaccine deliveries to the bloc. According to Rome, it acted in coordination with Brussels and in accordance with new EU regulations allowing exports to be stopped if a vaccine manufacturer has failed to meet its obligations to the bloc.
"Pharmaceutical companies are being late with the supplies that they have guaranteed to the EU. The delays are unacceptable ... As long as there are such delays, it is right for EU nations to block supplies to countries that are not vulnerable," Di Maio said at a joint presser with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Rome.
The minister reiterated solidarity with "all countries that are experiencing difficulties."
"But Italy and Europe must demand compliance with contracts and deadlines for vaccine deliveries," he argued.
The top Italian diplomat stressed that the move was "not a hostile act against Australia," as Rome "just invoked a European regulation in coordination with European authorities."
Canberra has already urged the European Commission to revise the decision.
