Vaccine distribution in the EU Has threatened Austria with a Blockade?

Austria tried in the conflict over the distribution of vaccine in the European Union on Wednesday visibly damage control. Of the previously known threat to bloc

Vaccine distribution in the EU Has threatened Austria with a Blockade?

Austria tried in the conflict over the distribution of vaccine in the European Union on Wednesday visibly damage control. Of the previously known threat to block the appointment of new vaccines, as long as Austria to get the cans, wanted to diplomats, you know nothing. The word "Veto" had never fallen, hugging you.

Hendrik Kafsack

economic correspondent in Brussels.

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Werner Mussler

economic correspondent in Brussels.

F. A. Z.

The representative of Austria to the EU competent Committee ("Steering Committee") have pointed out last Friday, only on the Obvious, that the EU must now talking about the distribution of tens of millions of doses of Biontech/Pfizer, could organise the European Commission, in addition, for the second quarter, and then the remaining, for the second half of the year, announced 90 million doses of this order, could take care of.

"His threat is empty"

All a big misunderstanding so? Diplomats of other countries were, the situation is a bit different. There was more, Chancellor Sebastian and I, the three weeks of him instigated conflict on the day after the video of the summit of heads of state and heads of government to systematically escalate. The Austrian representatives have threatened on Friday, the day after the summit, with a Blockade of new orders, in order to get more cans for his country to be allocated than is actually provided. It went to 100 million doses of Biontech/Pfizer, which could order the European Commission to the middle of April, for she had exercised until then only one Option. In the meantime, however, also become the Austrians clear that they could not block the order legally, which is why they are now rowed with all our strength back, diplomats said.

The precautionary Respondent's Legal service of the Council of Ministers had given to Protocol, no state could prevent a vaccine order by the Commission by Veto. "In short, it has made among the EU partners, unpopular, and his threat is empty," said an EU representative. Short had already claimed on the video summit on Thursday that his country, as well as to various States that had ordered below average in much of Biontech/Pfizer, more than the previously proposed share of the tens of millions of doses. He had the grounds that these countries have so far received less vaccine than other.

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READ behavior is, however, at your own Order. Basically, it is provided that each state has depends on its population can claim doses of the vaccine. Especially some of the poorer countries, among them Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Latvia and the Czech Republic, which supported the thrust of Short, ordered from the more expensive vaccines, especially of Biontech/Pfizer and Moderna little or nothing.

Shared Echo

The most of the Short’ counterpart had rejected his advance, therefore. In the final Declaration of the summit is held, that the vaccine, according to the proportion of the population among the member States. However, it also means that the distribution of the vaccines should be carried out in the spirit of "solidarity". This has been generally understood that, at least in the EU member States, on the part of the Vaccinated clearly below the average, you should get a slightly higher share of the vaccines. Austria, which is located in the vaccine supply in average, on the other hand, go out empty.

The Portuguese presidency of the EU Council, a compromise proposed on Wednesday: Seven million in the early tens of millions of doses of Biontech/Pfizer should be distributed as it is now, according to population among the States. The Rest should be for the benefit of the poor underserved countries. 2.86 million doses should be split, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia and Bulgaria to each other. The remaining of 140,000 doses of the vaccine should be given to the Czech Republic, which has its share of Biontech/Pfizer, but not to other vaccines.

Date Of Update: 01 April 2021, 15:19