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EU CAN'T HAVE IT EITHER
Now Brussels threatens to SEIZE Oxford AZ jab factories with ‘Stalinist’ powers despite several EU countries pulling it
BRUSSELS today threatened to SEIZE factories on the continent producing the Oxford Astrazeneca jab - despite several countries pausing their rollout of very same vaccine just days ago.
In a dramatic escalation of their furious row with the pharma giant, EU boss Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc could even suspend patents on the lifesaving jab so anyone could produce it - but critics branded the threats "Stalinist."
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In a bombshell intervention, the raging German said she did not rule out triggering emergency powers to "make sure Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible" - warning "all options are on the table".
And in an astonishing broadside aimed at Britain she warned the bloc may restrict vaccine shipments to countries whose rollouts are going far better than its own.
Her explosive comments come despite several EU nations pulling the plug on the very same jab earlier this week, citing fears over blood clots.
Experts have blasted the claims and insisted it's perfectly safe with no links to clots - and the rollout will continue as planned.
Europe's shambolic rollout has been beset with issues, and has been far slower than Britain's.
It comes as:
- Matt Hancock wrote to Sun readers to assure them that the jab was still perfectly safe - and there was no risk of blood clots
- He will give a press conference tonight as the UK passes the 25million jab mark
- Boris Johnson revealed earlier today he would be getting the AZ jab in the coming days
- All over 50s in Britain are now being invited for the jab
Von Der Leyen said today: "It is hard to explain to our citizens why vaccines produced in the EU are going to other countries that are also producing vaccines, but hardly anything is coming back.
"And the second point that is of importance for us is on whether exports to countries who have higher vaccination rates than us are still in proportion.
"We want to see reciprocity and proportionality in exports, and we are ready to use whatever tools you need to deliver on that.
I'm not ruling out anything for now because we have to make sure Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible
Ursula Von Der Leyen
"In other words, we want to have vaccines. This is about making sure that Europe gets a fair share."
The EU chief was asked if Brussels will consider triggering emergency powers that would allow it to seize control of vaccine productions and waive drug makers' patents.
She replied: "All options are on the table. We are in the crisis of the century, and I'm not ruling out anything for now because we have to make sure Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible."
Such powers have only been used once, which was during the 1970s oil crisis.
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The remarks reignited a fuming war of words between Britain and the EU which were sparked when the bloc introduced its export restrictions in January.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith savaged the latest development branding it "a Stalinist level of direction but tinged with incompetence, chaos and contradictions."
The Brexiteer raged Brussels was in "a ridiculous position where they have attacked the so-called 'British vaccine'" but are now demanding more of it.
He told The Sun: "They are just bitter with the UK for having got ahead them on the vaccine and are desperately trying to shift the blame."
And the free market Adam Smith Institute think tank said "such a Stalinist move to seize private property demeans the continent."
Boss Matt Kilcoyne added: "Having failed to purchase vaccines, Brussels has now revealed its desire to seize the jabs of others.
"Expropriating private property and blocking the fulfilment of contracts made in good faith makes a mockery of the claim the EU is a rules based organisation and a promoter of free trade."
A No10 spokesperson said today restrictions would "endanger global efforts to fight the virus".
Downing Street said: "the global recovery from covid relies on international collaboration" and urged the EU not to restrict vaccines.
Last night EU politicians were blasted for putting the "faltering bloc" ahead of people's lives.
Tory MP Mark Francois told The Sun: ";The AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, as the European Medicines Agency themselves admit.
"What is deeply regrettable is that some senior EU politicians are now putting the defence of the faltering European Project, before the lives of their own citizens.
"History may not judge them kindly for this."
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Europe's chaotic rollout has been savaged by member states across the bloc.
European countries have received 14.9 million AZ vaccines, of which they have used just 7.3 million.
In comparion, Britain is expected to reach the 25million mark later today.
Mrs von der Leyen said that European countries have exported 41 million doses over the past six weeks to 33 countries.
She said of 315 shipments only one had been blocked - a delivery of 250,000 AZ jabs from Italy to Australia.
Brussels has been embroiled in a bitter battle with AstraZeneca for months over its volume of deliveries to the continent.
The Commission chief said it is only set to provide 110 million doses in the first half of this year, out of the 270 million it initially promised.
The massive row comes after 20 EU countries fully or partially suspended the use of the AZ vaccine over unsubstantiated blood clot fears this week.
In Germany doctors at one vaccination centre were reported to have been brought to tears by having to destroy a batch of unused vaccines, describing the situation as a "disaster beyond all expectations".
The move has been slammed by opposition MPs there, with socialist health lead Karl Lauterbach calling it a "big mistake" that will "only create great uncertainty and mistrust in a situation where every vaccination counts".
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There is anger too across many other European capitals, including Paris and Italy, which feel they were bounced into halting use of the Oxford shot by Berlin's decision to pull the plug.
The head of Italy's medicines agency railed against the move as a "political choice" and vowed to resume vaccinations at a greater than ever pace as soon as possible.
Meanwhile in Poland - which has not suspended use of the jab - a top adviser to the PM suggested a commercially motivated "disinformation" campaign designed to benefit AZ's rivals was behind the decisions.
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The European Medicines Agency, which will publish a review into the jab's safety tomorrow, has repeatedly insisted there is no evidence to link it to rare and dangerous blood clots that have developed in some patients.
Its head Emer Cooke said there was “there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions” and the benefits of taking it far outweigh any risks of side-effects.
There have been just 37 reports of clotting events among the more than 17 million people who have received the vaccine across the EU and Britain, according to AstraZeneca.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Doctors have said there is no extra risk from the vaccine.
Matt Hancock wrote for The Sun today in an attempt to reassure the nation - saying there was no evidence people should be worried.
Ursula von der Leyen insists allowing member states to buy jabs separately ‘would have been the end of our community’
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