|
 The 27-nation bloc has so far signed supply contracts with six
European and U.S. vaccine makers for a total of nearly 2.6 billion
doses for its population of 450 million. It is also negotiating
further supplies from two other Western companies.
"Currently no talks are ongoing to integrate the Sputnik vaccine in
the portfolio," a Commission spokesman told a news conference.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it had begun a rolling
review of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which could lead to its
approval for use in all 27 EU countries.
Sputnik V has already been approved or is being assessed for
approval in three EU member states - Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech
Republic - and EU officials have said Brussels could start
negotiations with a vaccine maker if at least four member countries
request it.
"Just because a vaccine is approved at European level, following
positive assessment by the EMA, it does not mean there is any
obligation for the Commission to include it in our portfolio," a
second spokesman for the Commission said.
EU officials have said that Sputnik's manufacturing plants need to
be assessed, and that it is not clear how many doses they can
produce in the short term.
[to top of second column] |
 "At this stage there is still a
very solid view (among EU member states) that we
are not going to push inoculations of stuff that
hasn't been approved by EMA," a senior
member-state diplomat said.
"There are liability issues ... behind that, and
there's a degree of recklessness which the
majority will not countenance."
National emergency approvals are allowed under
EU rules, but expose countries to liability
risks if something goes wrong with a vaccine,
whereas an EMA authorisation offers more legal
protection.
One official said there had been preliminary
discussions among EU members about whether to
hold talks with the Russian vaccine's
developers, but nothing concrete had been put on
the table.
EU countries are free to buy vaccines that have
not been earmarked by the EU as a whole, but are
advised to refrain from parallel talks and deals
if the EU is negotiating a joint purchase.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio;
Editing by Kevin Liffey)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content |
