Gove: EU knows it blundered over jags
Coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer and Astrazeneca are expected to be supplied to the UK as planned, despite the EU’S export controls and demands for Britishmanufactured jabs, after a discussion with Brussels’ chief Maros Sefcovic, Michael Gove has said.
The Cabinet Office minister said the EU recognises it made a mistake and has agreed to a reset after its shortlived but widely-condemned move to override part of the Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland to prevent shipments of jabs entering the UK.
The move by the EU commission, which was reversed within hours amid condemnation from London, Belfast and Dublin, could have led to checks at the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Under the terms of the NI protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the single market for goods and continues to
apply EU customs rules at its ports and airports.
It was the latest development in a deepening dispute over delays to the production and distribution of Covid vaccines across the EU.
Mr Gove said: “I think the European Union recognises that they made a mistake in triggering Article 16 which would’ve meant the reimposition of a border on the island of Ireland. But now the European Union has stepped back. I’ve spoken to the European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic about this and we both agreed that we need a reset, that we need to put the people of Northern Ireland first.”
Mr Gove also said yesterday he is “confident” the UK is “on track” to deliver 15 million jabs by February 15.
Meanwhile, the World Health Authority urged the UK to pause its vaccination programme once vulnerable groups have had their jabs, to ensure the global roll-out is fair.