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Brussels, May 6
The European Union is willing to discuss a proposal, now backed by the United States, to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.
The head of the EU executive said the bloc s vaccination effort was accelerating, with 30 Europeans inoculated per second, while exporting more than 200 million vaccine doses to the rest of the world. The EU is also ready to discuss any proposals that addresses the crisis in an effective and pragmatic manner, von der Leyen said in a speech to the European University Institute in Florence. That s why we are ready to discuss how the U.S. proposal for a waiver on intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines could help achieve that objective.
Follow RT on The European Commission president has said Brussels is prepared to look at a proposal to scrap intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines in an effort to accelerate global vaccinations against the virus.
Speaking on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would be willing to look at proposals to waive Covid-19 vaccine patents after the US gave its backing to the plan on Wednesday.
“The EU is also ready to discuss any proposals that addresses the crisis in an effective and pragmatic manner,” von der Leyen said in a speech to the European University Institute in Florence.
Mixed views in EU on US-backed vaccine rights waiver Supporters see waiver as vital in supply of vaccines to developing countries
Thu, May 6, 2021, 10:15 Updated: Thu, May 6, 2021, 17:26
Member states of the EU are set to discuss proposals to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines after the idea was backed by the US.
There are mixed views on the issue among member states, with some arguing that merely waiving intellectual property rights will not affect vaccine manufacturing capacity as limits on trained staff, production facilities, and ingredients are also constraining supply.
“The EU is also ready to discuss any proposals that addresses the crisis in an effective and pragmatic manner,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech to the European University Institute in Florence.
BRUSSELS (REUTERS) - The European Union (EU) is willing to discuss a proposal, now backed by the United States, to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday (May 6).
The head of the EU executive said the bloc s vaccination effort was accelerating, with 30 Europeans inoculated per second, while exporting more than 200 million vaccine doses to the rest of the world. The EU is also ready to discuss any proposals that addresses the crisis in an effective and pragmatic manner, Ms von der Leyen said in a speech to the European University Institute in Florence.