EU Split on Covid-Patent Waivers Casts Doubt on U.S. Plan
Bloomberg 5/7/2021 Nikos Chrysoloras and Rodrigo Orihuela
(Bloomberg) Spain backed a U.S. proposal to waive intellectual property rights for coronavirus vaccines, breaking ranks with Germany and complicating efforts by the European Union to form a common stance.
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“We in the Spanish government welcome Biden’s proposal to suspend patents,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in Porto on Friday ahead of talks with other EU leaders. “But we think it’s insufficient and that we have to be more ambitious.”
His government sent around a proposal ahead of the meeting calling for accelerating the transfer of technology for making the vaccines to all countries around the world as well as bolstering production and distribution.
French boats stage protest off Jersey in fishing row
Fishing boats have massed in front of a port off the island in the English Channel for a peaceful protest against the restrictive measures imposed since Brexit.
The French fishing boats positioned themselves in the harbor of St. Helier for a brief period
A fleet of French fishing boats converged on the island of Jersey to protest on Thursday, amid an escalating row over post-Brexit fishing rights.
About 50 boats sailed to the Channel island to express their dismay.
In recent weeks, tensions have increased between Paris and London as French fishermen say they are being prevented from operating in British waters due to complications in obtaining licenses.