The E.U. And AstraZeneca row.

The UK was guided in its vaccine process by Kate Bingham who enabled all the progress www.gov.uk/government/news/a-statement-regarding-kate-bingham-and-the-vaccine-taskforce
I do find it odd that the EU expects us to supply vaccine manufactured in the UK but has threatened to block exports of the Pfizer manufactured in Belgium.

Urmstongran I was looking from the perspective of the ordinary people living in Northern Ireland. They must feel that they have been sold down the river and that nobody cares. I do, and whatever their politics I hope that everybody on here feels the same.

I am afraid that I do not speak EU Inglish. What does "open global value chains." ...erm ..even mean?

P.S. Plain English preferred.

From what Katy Adler in Brussels said tonight the EU are backpedaling because the member states are horrified at what they are threatening to do.

I do too Casdon we are singing from the same hymn sheet. I’m delighted Arlene Foster is furious. So she should be.

The EU made the big thing about the GFA and a hard border on the island of Ireland. It’s ironic really that it’s the EU in the stew of their own making.

Far from the UK starting a vaccine war it has actually been very restrained surely? The spat is between the EU and AZ, not the UK. The spitefulness of the EU is on full display this evening concerning Northern Ireland whereby the EU insisted on no border on the island of Ireland yet it has today blocked the movement of vaccines from south to north in contravention of its own rules not even a month old. You couldn't make it up. What a dispicable organistaion the EU is.

Arlene Foster is right to style it a "Hostile Act".

dragonfly46

From what Katy Adler in Brussels said tonight the EU are backpedaling because the member states are horrified at what they are threatening to do.

I very much hope this is the case. It is an ugly situation which reflects poorly on the EU as it is hard not to interpret it as “tit for tat.”

And Casdon not just N.I.

Who'd be a Hungarian?
You wonder what Orban is getting out of it. Suddenly he's a vaccine expert.

"Good morning Sir,. Which vaccine would you prefer? We have the Russian or the Chinese".???

The rule of unintended consequences , I fear, will become clear soon, but too late.for the EU. My concern is that the consequences will be far greater than we can imagine.

Just heard on the news that the EU do seem to be back-tracking certainly where N I is concerned.

Apparently, the WHO are saying that if the EU continue with their proposals it could have international consequences. Time they admitted they made mistakes and start working with all countries. This isn't an EU v UK problem, it is an international crisis

I keep wondering how the EU would have reacted if the UK had found themselves in our position. Would they be happy for Astra Zenica to divert supplies from Belgium despite their own contracts? It doesn't seem likely. It hasn't taken long for the wheels to fall off. The EU commission are looking for scapegoats to explain the situation they are in. Having said that a vaccine war is to no one's benefit. Need some cool heads to get through the next few weeks.

Quiet on here isn’t it?
?

Urmstomgran
It will be interesting to see how some will try to defend the indefensible ?

Or is just COVID weariness? I’ve spotted 6 threads on here this morning, some with similar issues being discussed. Planning to take a break today I think, I just hope it gets sorted out in a way that enables everybody, regardless of where they live to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

I'll rise to the bait then. No point in having strong opinions and then not turning up to defend them.

I have no idea what the EU think they are playing at. At first it seemed valid, but rather draconian, to refuse export licences for companies within their own borders but now its just got weird. Playing with the border in NI just seems completely counterproductive. Even everybody's least favourite European thinks they've taken the wrong track.

www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-eu-idUSKBN29Y314

Doesn't change my mind about Brexit though.

I think it may make a lot of people change their minds on how they view the EU, they will now realise that the EU commission throw their weight about indefensibly and in this case, totally wrongly. They have shown their true colours for the world to see, and the world doesn’t like what they see!

It is a pity this silly argument is taking focus away from the real issue which is - how to vaccinate the most people in the shortest length of time.

Cooperation is the key.

Small mindedness is the problem.

I thought that for once whitewave you may have posted a comment similar to Algerias on this matter.....but no!

Unless.....you mean that the EU commission are being small minded?

I think they have behaved really badly, doesnt change the way I would have voted. But I have never really enjoyed the whole football team type of politics, because I disagree on this I have to disagree with everything else you do.

Sorry Alegrias I nearly always get your name wrong.

Alegrias, schmalegrias

It is one incident during a pandemic which is, as has been pointed out by brexit supporters when it comes to other issues unprecedented. Which I am not going to use as excuse for what seems to be unpleasant behaviour by the EU (especially as the vaccine is being produced non profit making). Having said that I’m not going to immediately forget that the government have messed up every other aspect of the pandemic and it has cost thousands of lives.

Vaccine nationalism is the issue. Politicians need to think outside the box and understand that no one is secure until we are all secure.

I would like the UN to take charge and for all vaccine roll out to be decided on a world wide basis.

It's typical behaviour of the Brussels bullies, in my opinion.