LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is confident that its COVID-19 vaccination program is safe after receiving guarantees from the European Union, the trade minister said on Sunday, trying to smooth out a supply line.
Just one month after Britain ended its departure from the bloc, ties with Brussels were severely tested on Friday, when the EU’s vaccine export control plan included the triggering of an emergency clause in previous Brexit agreements.
The move, which was quickly reversed, has united British politicians in criticizing the EU’s threat to create a tough border that it has long said it wants to avoid between Britain’s Northern Ireland and the EU.
“We know the supply is secure, we are absolutely confident that we can continue to deliver our program. We have received assurances from the European Union that these contracts will not be terminated, “Liz Truss told Sky News.
With the dispute suggesting persistent mistrust between the two sides in Brexit, Truss said she was pleased that the EU acknowledged its “mistake”.
She added: “It is vital to work together, it is vital to keep the borders open, to resist vaccine nationalism and to resist protectionism.”
‘HELP OTHERS’
Truss did not rule out supplying excess supplies to other nations, but only after the United Kingdom vaccinated its population.
“In fact, in the coming months we hope to be able to help other countries with the supply of vaccines, including our friends and neighbors, but also the developing world,” she told Times Radio.
The EU lags far behind Britain and the United States in vaccinations. He announced on Friday that he would impose controls on the export of vaccines, widely considered a threat to prevent doses being sent to the UK.
But it was forced to reverse part of the announcement within hours after both Britain and Ireland complained about plans to impose emergency controls on vaccine exports across the land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that lessons had to be learned, which he believed came from a dispute between the European Commission and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
“My observation is that the terrible line – a bitter line between AstraZeneca and the Commission over the company’s contractual obligations to provide vaccines to European Member States – has taken place here,” he said.
“I think there was a shock all over Europe when (there was) the company’s initial commitment to 100 million doses, (then) it turned out not to be done and that caused a lot of tension.”
Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Edited by Catherine Evans and Andrew Cawthorne