COVID-19: 'We need clarity about vaccine purchase agreements'

The discussion about shortages of vaccine deliveries from some manufacturers are worrying and lead to many important questions. Finger-pointing and the arrogant reaction by manufacturer AstraZeneca are not acceptable. We need to be able to shed light on the situation. This is why MEPs, under the lead of MEP Rasmus Andresen sent a letter to the European Commission, asking formally the access to all documents related to the negotiations of the purchase agreements, including minutes of meetings.

Rasmus Andresen said: “Unfortunately neither the EU commission nor most of the vaccine manufacturers grant full access to the Advance Purchase Agreements. We ask them to publish them without any reduction. We also need access to all other relevant documents such as minutes and internal documents that were circulated before and after the relevant meetings. Only with such access can we properly assess who is responsible for shortages, how the German Federal Government influenced the negotiations and what the EU can do now in order to sanction AstraZeneca’s shortcomings.

"The EU commission now has to prepare all possible legal measures, including export controls. However, if it turns out that the EU commission did only agree to non-binding delivery objectives, while already committing to pay hundreds of millions of Euro for the development and the production of the vaccines, the parliament will certainly problematize and follow-up on this.”

Share this article: