David Sassoli admits EU vaccines strategy marked by ‘mistakes’ and ‘shortcomings’
Speaking on Thursday, Sassoli also strongly defended the much-criticised strategy which has seen the EU fall far behind other countries like the UK, the US and Israel on the vaccine rollout.
For example, so far, a mere 3.4 percent of Belgians have received a vaccine compared with one third of all adults in the UK.
It is also estimated that 20 to 30 percent of vaccines which are supposed to have been given to Member States still remain in their fridges in warehouses without having been delivered.
Sassoli told a press conference, “Yes, mistakes have been made and there have been shortcomings. There has also been a bit of naivety.”
“Some problems have arisen in the supply and distribution chains. There is a big difference between the quantities of doses promised by industry and those currently being made available.”
“But this is not just a European problem and we also have a have a responsibility for what is happening on the rollout in places like Africa. But, yes, I accept that we do need to support increased vaccine production in Europe.”
Sassoli was speaking after giving a speech to the two-day EU summit which started earlier on Thursday. Vaccines will the main issue up for debate at the online meeting.
Sassoli said “the world has stopped” as a result of the crisis”, adding “my message today to the Council was that in the future the EU must be in a better position to have the power and clout to act to protect public health.”
Referring to the alleged failure of pharma companies to honour their vaccine supply obligations to the EU, he said, “Contracts need to be respected and we also need a network of industrial capacity throughout the EU otherwise we will not be able to respond to this sort of crisis in the future.”
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