Comparisons between Britain s well-oiled rollout and the bloc s own sluggish delivery has stoked frustrations
Brussels has pointed the finger at AstraZeneca and claims it it not meeting its contractual obligations
EU s woes date back months to protracted negotiations to initially procure vaccines and internal wrangling
Gripped by the pandemic, Brussels from the start resolved to collectivise its vaccine purchasing power
Move would have meant border controls between Ireland and Northern Ireland - essentially a hard border
Northern Ireland s Arlene Foster called it incredible act of hostility while Boris Johnson had grave concerns
But the EU has now backed down over the proposals and Brussels says they will no longer be put into place
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said this afternoon the EU recognises they made a mistake
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Sputnik International
The refrigerators will be empty: Has the EU vaccine strategy gone off the rails?
The EU is under increasing pressure as member states face unexpected supply issues just one month into their vaccine programmes. By Ian Curran and Michelle Hennessy Friday 29 Jan 2021, 6:34 PM Jan 29th 2021, 6:34 PM 65,502 Views 55 Comments
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/PA Images
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/PA Images
EUROPE IS THE sick man of the northern hemisphere when it comes to its vaccine strategy.
That’s the perception at least. Bedevilled by setbacks, supply issues and bad press, European Union officials and institutions are facing intense scrutiny after a chaotic week in which the roll-out crawled to a near-halt in several membe
| UPDATED: 11:13, Wed, Jan 27, 2021
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Richard Tice said Brussels eurocrats have shown their true colours and have revealed themselves to be protectionist bullies over the coronavirus vaccine row. The Brexiteer took to the radio to slam the European Union s incompetence with dealing with supplier AstraZeneca. The chairman of the Reform UK party said the bloc was totally at fault for the slow rollout of vaccine doses to member states and argued that Brussels was now trying to pass the buck for their bungled approach onto the vaccine manufacturer.