[ad_1]
The EU is aiming to donate 100 million coronavirus vaccine doses by the end of the year — and its leaders will try to persuade national heads of government and state to approve the plan at a summit next week.
Council President Charles Michel put forward Friday new draft conclusions for the summit that called for the 100 million figure, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly urged EU to help needier countries.
“We must step up efforts to give access to vaccines to low and middle income countries,” von der Leyen tweeted during the G20 Global Health Summit. “We will do our part: #TeamEurope aims at donating at least 100 million doses to low and middle income countries by the end of 2021.”
The figure was first reported by POLITICO earlier this week.
The tweet came just as EU countries issued their own pledges totaling 110 million, with 50 million from Italy, 30 million from France and 30 million from Germany.
Senior officials and diplomats warned that there’s still no agreement, and some expressed frustration the Commission was taking credit for vaccine pledges that are coming from member states.
“There’s no agreement yet,” a senior EU official said.
EU leaders are expected to further discuss donations at the Council summit on Monday night. The most recent draft of the Council conclusions, seen by POLITICO, puts the 100 million target in brackets, so it’s likely countries will agree to donate more next week.
One EU diplomat said countries are likely to agree to meet or surpass the target set by the Commission, but noted it “would be easier if it all happened in the proper order.” The diplomat then called it “extremely stupid to announce [the pledge] before member states agree.”
“Remember, the doses belong to the member states — not the Commission,” the diplomat said.
Another EU diplomat quipped that countries were “curious where in the Berlaymont the Commission stores its 100 million doses.”
[ad_2]
Source link
