Amid shortage, EU moves to limit vaccine exports

Regulators authorize AstraZeneca inoculation

Desperate as doses run dry, the European Union on Friday approved its third coronavirus vaccine, while moving to restrict exports of the shot, shunning its decades-old free-trade, anti-protectionism creed amid a growing crisis.

EU regulators authorized the shot produced by AstraZeneca, even as the company and the bloc fight over AstraZeneca’s insistence that it cannot deliver as many doses as it had promised, and as the European Union falls well behind Britain and the United States in inoculations.

The export controls came in response to the spat with AstraZeneca, as well as severe shortages at vaccination centers. French and German regions have reported that they have nearly run out of vaccine, and the Madrid region of Spain has suspended its rollout for at least two weeks until fresh deliveries arrive.

Supply chain disruptions have slowed delivery of the two vaccines already in use in the European Union, from Pfizer and Moderna.

The measure, which takes effect Saturday, is aimed at AstraZeneca and escalates a conflict between the European Union and Britain, which finalized its departure from the bloc just weeks ago.

It empowers the Europeans to halt any export of doses manufactured within the bloc unless the maker first meets its supply obligations to the 27 EU member states.

The European Union did not make an advance purchase agreement with AstraZeneca until the fall, three months after Britain had signed one, but the bloc paid the company about $400 million to help it scale up production capacity.

AstraZeneca said this month that it would significantly cut its planned February and March deliveries to the European Union.

The company’s chief executive responded that he regretted the situation but that his company had not committed to a specific production and delivery schedule.

The policy announced by the European Commission on Friday directs pharmaceutical companies manufacturing coronavirus vaccines within the bloc’s borders — currently Pfizer and AstraZeneca — to submit paperwork alerting European authorities of any intention to move their products to non-EU countries. The commission said it reserved the right to block such exports if it determined that the pharmaceutical companies were not meeting their EU contractual obligations first. The policy will be in place until the end of March and will not apply to exports intended for poorer countries.

Supply chain disruptions have slowed delivery of the two vaccines already in use in the European Union