The E.U. And AstraZeneca row.

So where des the £298 million (was that £s or euros?) Z got from the EU come into this story Pippa?

The UK was still in the Brexit transition period last year when it was invited to join the EU’s joint procurement scheme for vaccines. The European Commission would negotiate on behalf of the bloc, which, by virtue of its size, would ensure cheaper prices.

Instead Britain moved alone, first and fast, to secure supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine – three months before the EU. Which many people who didn’t want Brexit howled about, saying we were Little Englanders, punching above our weight, jeopardising supplies. I remember reading all the articles last summer in the Guardian and The Times.

Prices per dose are confidential, although it is generally accepted that the UK paid more than the EU. Yet the speed at which the UK moved was to prove pivotal.

AstraZeneca is believed to have received an upfront payment of £298m when the 27-nation bloc sealed a supply deal with the company in August for at least 300 million doses.

Under advance purchase deals sealed during the pandemic, the EU makes down-payments to companies to secure doses, with the money expected to be mostly used to expand production capacity.

From Sky News.

But if you look back at the bit I quoted from the Spectator Maizie it sounds as if we hedged our bets by writing into the contract that vaccines made in Britain would be offered to Britain first. It seems the EU did not write in the same stipulation about vaccines made in the EU so AZ feels they are obliged to send at least some of those to us, to fulfil our contract, as we had an earlier agreement with them. At least I think that is what they are saying. I have no idea how that stands in law.

The EU are talking about stopping the doses made in the EU being exported. As it is I wonder on what legal grounds the EU would stop the exports?

LauraNorder

Good posts from Urms and PippaZ. Never thought I’d say that in the same sentence. Both showing the UK in a very good light for decisions made re vaccines.

Same here.

Thanks for the article Casdon

Just catching up with all the news/postings.

I have no idea how that stands in law.

I expect that David Allen Green might have a take on that

twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1354794491807465472

Urmstongran, before you sing the praises of this government it is worth remembering that the reason they were so keen was because they made such a pigs ear of the PPE.

Also, I believe (but have not checked) they are paying more per dose than the UK not less. Sadly, we are being nationalistic about it - as are other countries - but at the end of the day no one is safe until everyone, or the vast proportion of the world's population, is safe so nationalism cannot last; we will have to work together.

MaizieD

^I have no idea how that stands in law.^

I expect that David Allen Green might have a take on that

twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1354794491807465472

That's why they get paid big money and I don't Maizie . It will take a court to sort it out I would have thought.

Totally agree with you PippaZ that the debacle over procurement of PPE made the government bullish about obtaining enough vaccine. At least they learnt from that mistake.

The UK did pay slightly more to AZ than the EU for vaccines. The huge buying power of the EU must have been very important in negotiating a price.

That said the UK played a blinder. Maybe luck had a hand but the result stands. We are all the beneficiaries over here and I for one am very grateful that this is going so well.

60 million doses coming through soon for the UK of Novovax, manufactured on Teeside - just been approved for distribution.
?

The Wall Stret Journal say that the Novovax vaccine is 89% effective against C-19.

The news for the UK rollout just gets better. And wait till our new super-laboratory is up and running next year. The future looks bright!

Nationalism is alive and well for sure-

but not sure it will help with other matters. Forgotten the UK is an Island (well Islands). It could get very unpleasant indeed-win some, lose some.

The development of the vaccine was a truly international affair, The U.K. got in quick which is good for us, but until other countries, particularly neighbouring ones catch up wit( the vaccination programme, which they undoubtedly will, we won’t be able to get back to normality in terms of travel, trade etc. so just crowing about how marvellous we are and how terrible everyone else is , perhaps we should just avoid stirring that pot.

From the Guardian, just now:

‘The EU is investing €336m (£297m) in AstraZeneca in return for 400m doses. But not all of the money has been paid to the pharmaceutical company so EU lawyers are examining whether there has been a breach of contract.’

Do you know what? I’m not stirring any pot. We are so used to bashing the UK post Brexit, can’t we just be delighted this once that things are going so well for us?

Can you just imagine if they weren’t?
Doesn’t bear thinking about if say, the government had gone along with the Oxford programme twinning with the (sadly failed) Merck laboratory.

Well biba this is a winner for the UK. And it is hugely important. Which is why the member states in the EU are so furious with the European Commission. The sooner we safely get out of lockdown, the sooner our schools can open fully and the UK economy gets the turbo boost it is desperately in need of.

If the EU stop vaccine exports that would leave millions here with incomplete vaccinations, so the whole exercise would be threatened. I note that Johnson andGove have uncharacteristically not been drawn into self congratulation as they realise we are actually dependent on the vaccine manufactured in the the EU. They are playing down this situation.

of course Urmstongran- but cooperation has to go both ways. In any relationship going through a difficult time, a win with lots of boasting and fanfare- is likely to backfire. There are ways and ways- stirring the hornets nest is rarely a good idea.

Von der Leyen doesn't have a very good track record with procurement, does she?

www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-biography-career-inconvenient-truth/

EU Leaders and people have seen today all the front pages from the tabloids- and I can assure you they have noticed. It truly does NOT help long term- and is very likely to backfire, big time. Reality.

vegansrock

The development of the vaccine was a truly international affair, The U.K. got in quick which is good for us, but until other countries, particularly neighbouring ones catch up wit( the vaccination programme, which they undoubtedly will, we won’t be able to get back to normality in terms of travel, trade etc. so just crowing about how marvellous we are and how terrible everyone else is , perhaps we should just avoid stirring that pot.

Thankfully our own politicians seem to be standing back from any "stirring" vegansrock. We have also been very invested in Covax.

The EU will really have to talk to AstraZeneca in order to find a way through. I'm not sure threatening them is the best way forward.

As a group of Islands relying on cooperation on borders for all exports and imports- whether as part of EU, and even more when ot- is paramount.

The UK has purchased a lot more vaccine from the various companies than we actually need for our own population, does anybody know what the plans are for our surplus, will it be cancelled and a penalty clause paid, sold on, given to third world countries (which would be an amazing gesture), or used as our third doses maybe?

This just now, the Guardian editorial on the situation:

“The aggressive tone of commission officials speaks to the domestic pressure that European leaders face. The EU has so far given only two doses per 100 residents, while the UK has delivered 11. Facing the backlash for a somewhat sluggish procurement programme, it cannot afford more delays. The legitimacy of the bloc and of individual governments are at stake, along with economic recovery.

But instead of issuing threats, the EU should be working with suppliers and other governments. In essence, the commission argues that AstraZeneca made a firm commitment to deliver the doses, while the firm says it promised its “best efforts”. It is in no one’s interests to turn a contractual dispute into a political row which can be exploited by anti-EU movements.”

The EU has wide powers in case of a major crisis, and some governments want the EU to invoke article 122 to go even further than implement export restrictions and intervene the suppliers or even force them to share their patents with other labs, like BioNTech has done with Sanofi in partnership.

Could be bad for the UK especially if there's a new strain, as the AstraZeneca vaccine can't be easily adapted unlike BioNTech / Moderna and soon Curevac which is also promising

In other news, apparently AZ is now willing to publish most of the contract. It is also backtracking from its claim, and it may be able to supply the 80 million jabs (or close to) that it had early promised

Not sure casdon but if it’s 2 doses then 60 million translates to 30 million people.