Number of European Union citizens being prevented from entering the UK has gone up in last three months, figures with UK Home Office revealed.

This spike has been seen in spite of the massive reduction in travel due to Covid restrictions. However, post-Brexit rules have kicked in and this is clearly having an effect.

3,294 EU citizens were barred from entering the UK over last three months.

In the same quarter last year, 493 EU citizens were barred from entry. This was even when air traffic was 20 times higher.

The passengers are often being held in detention before being expelled.

The Home Office ordered earlier this month that EU citizens should not be locked up and should be given bail so that they can stay with their relatives and friends until the matter is resolved.

Experts have been quoted in media reports expressing fear that the number of EU citizens expelled would go up once restrictions for air travel are eased.

Number of European Union citizens being prevented from entering the UK has gone up in last three months, figures with UK Home Office revealed. This spike has been seen in spite of the massive reduction in travel due to Covid restrictions.

Number of European Union citizens being prevented from entering the UK has gone up in last three months, figures with UK Home Office revealed. This spike has been seen in spite of the massive reduction in travel due to Covid restrictions. However, post-Brexit rules have kicked in and this is clearly having an effect. 3,294 EU citizens were barred from entering the UK over last three months. In the same quarter last year, 493 EU citizens were barred from entry. This was even when air traffic was 20 times higher. The passengers are often being held in detention before being expelled. The Home Office ordered earlier this month that EU citizens should not be locked up and should be given bail so that they can stay with their relatives and friends until the matter is resolved. Experts have been quoted in media reports expressing fear that the number of EU citizens expelled would go up once restrictions for air travel are eased.

More EU citizens are being denied entry into UK after Brexit

Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus. The Kremlin on Friday said&nbsp;that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;was working to resolve what it called technical issues thrown up by a decision by some European airlines to skirt Belarusian airspace when flying to and from&nbsp;Russia.

The European Union has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus and has moved to close its own airspace to Belarusian carriers amid outrage over Sunday's interception of a Ryanair RYA.I jet en route to Lithuania from Greece, and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-plane-crisis-tightens-lukashenkos-awkward-embrace-of-putin-387605">Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin</a>

Josep Borrell had while speaking to journalists, said "We don't know if it is case by case, specific cases, or is a general norm from the Russian authorities in order to make the European planes overfly Belarus,".

Russia&nbsp;on Thursday withheld clearance for an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight plan avoiding Belarus - a day after failing to approve a revised Air France&nbsp;Paris-Moscow route. Both flights were cancelled.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airlines-re-route-to-avoid-belarus-opposition-says-journalist-beaten-387395">Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten</a>&nbsp;

It did allow an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight to bypass Belarusian airspace on Friday however, the TASS news agency cited the company as saying, and allowed in other foreign carriers on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the problems were purely technical in nature and that the issue should not become an irritant in EU-Russia&nbsp;ties.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-aviation-body-may-probe-belarus-plane-forced-landing-incident-387881">UN aviation body may probe Belarus plane forced landing incident</a>

Russia's federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya has told airlines that changes to routes from Europe to&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;due to the political row over Belarus may result in longer clearance times due to more such requests.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether Russia was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus.

Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether Russia was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus. The Kremlin on Friday said that Russia was working to resolve what it called technical issues thrown up by a decision by some European airlines to skirt Belarusian airspace when flying to and from Russia. The European Union has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus and has moved to close its own airspace to Belarusian carriers amid outrage over Sunday's interception of a Ryanair RYA.I jet en route to Lithuania from Greece, and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board. Also Read | Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin Josep Borrell had while speaking to journalists, said "We don't know if it is case by case, specific cases, or is a general norm from the Russian authorities in order to make the European planes overfly Belarus,". Russia on Thursday withheld clearance for an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight plan avoiding Belarus - a day after failing to approve a revised Air France Paris-Moscow route. Both flights were cancelled. Also Read | Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten It did allow an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight to bypass Belarusian airspace on Friday however, the TASS news agency cited the company as saying, and allowed in other foreign carriers on Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the problems were purely technical in nature and that the issue should not become an irritant in EU-Russia ties. Also Read | UN aviation body may probe Belarus plane forced landing incident Russia's federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya has told airlines that changes to routes from Europe to Russia due to the political row over Belarus may result in longer clearance times due to more such requests. (With inputs from agencies)

France, Australian flight cancellations were due to 'technical issues,' says Russia

The European Union is mulling sanctions on Belarus after the forced landing of a passenger plane and the detention of a journalist. The bloc's foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said EU is intent on making Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pay a high price for the forced landing of a European airliner to arrest the regime opponents.

EU looks to pressurise Belarus with crippling sanctions

The European Union has dragged AstraZeneca to court. The charges include delay in vaccine delivery & prioritizing the UK over the rest. This legal battle was months in the making. Palki Sharma tells you how.

Gravitas: EU takes AstraZeneca to court

The European Union on Wednesday asked a Belgian court to impose penalties running to millions of euros per day on AstraZeneca for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccine</a> doses it has failed to deliver to the bloc.

The request came as EU countries and their executive, the European Commission, began legal action against the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company for "flagrant violation" of its contract with Brussels.

AstraZeneca's lawyer Hakim Boularbah rejected the EU claim, declaring: "There was no manifest breach of contract. It is very shocking to be accused of fraud."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/vaccines-can-be-redesigned-to-avoid-blood-clots-german-scientists-claim-387671" hreflang="en">Vaccines can be redesigned to avoid blood clots, German scientists claim</a>

The EU is suing AstraZeneca to force it to deliver 90 million more doses of its coronavirus vaccine before July, arguing that the company failed in its contractual duty by handing over only a fraction of promised shots.

The deadline for the contract is set for mid-June, according to the Commission, and the EU says the company should face financial penalties if it does not meet this deadline.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-in-france-race-to-vaccinate-in-bordeaux-as-rare-variant-detected-387495" hreflang="en">Covid in France: Race to vaccinate in Bordeaux as rare variant detected</a>

The EU's legal team demanded an upfront fine of 10 million euros ($12 million) plus "10 euros per dose and per day of delay" in that event.

AstraZeneca delivered only 30 million doses in the first quarter out of the 120 million it was contracted to supply. For the current quarter, which runs until June 30, it plans to deliver only 70 million of the 180 million doses initially promised.

A Commission official close to the case told AFP this month AstraZeneca was currently delivering doses at a rate of only 10 million per month, well below the planned pace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-linked-agency-hires-influencers-to-spread-fake-news-about-pfizer-vaccine-387419" hreflang="en">Russia-linked agency hires influencers to spread fake news about Pfizer vaccine</a>

But Bourlarbah told the court the firm would eventually supply 300 million doses and that "everything is being done to resolve the problems".

The company's defence relies on a part of the contract that speaks of "best reasonable efforts" by AstraZeneca and declarations that production was hit by unavoidable delays.

AstraZeneca's French-Australian boss Pascal Soriot laid out the argument ahead of the court case in a series of interviews with the press.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-says-covid-vaccine-highly-effective-among-adolescents-aged-12-and-above-387313" hreflang="en">Moderna says Covid vaccine 'highly effective' among adolescents aged 12 and above</a>

But the lawyer for the EU, Rafael Jeffareli, argued in court that the firm had prioritised supplies to Britain and beyond, while failing to make the best effort to step up production at its EU site in the Netherlands, operated by sub-contractor Halix.

Jeffareli alleged that for several weeks after the EU signed its contract with the firm in September last year, the Dutch plant had continued to supply markets other than the EU.&nbsp;

"Best effort means flexibility. Why did the switchover of the Halix site (to EU supply) only start on October 13?" he demanded.&nbsp;

The Halix plant in Leiden, the Netherlands, had sent supplies to Japan at the end of last year, he said. In total, "50 million doses were diverted to third countries in flagrant violation of the contract".

The drugs giant's team told the court that AstraZeneca was one of the major suppliers of vaccines to poorer countries facing an ongoing Coronavirus crisis, whereas Europe is already better supplied.

"The urgency today is not so much vaccination in Europe, it's that of the world population," Boularbah said.

'Unprecedented speed'

AstraZeneca, which worked with Britain's Oxford University in the development of its vaccine, denies having failed in its obligations. It rejects the lawsuit as "unfounded".&nbsp;

The company's team said the EU had been warned in February of the delays, which came after the vaccine was developed and put into production at "unprecedented speed". They argued the contract did not oblige them to meet particular deadlines.

The judge in the case set June 4 as the next court date in order to possibly question both parties. A final ruling is not expected before the end of June.

The commission, which has procured vaccines on behalf of the whole of the EU, initially intended the AstraZeneca jab as the main workhorse in the bloc's inoculation drive.

It has now switched to the more expensive Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as its mainstay.

The row has eroded public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab, which is also suffering negative perceptions in some countries because of worries over links to very rare fatal blood clots that can prove fatal. &nbsp;

Denmark stopped using AstraZeneca in its vaccination campaign as early as April, followed later by Norway and Austria.&nbsp;

Most other countries have restricted its use to older adults, including in France where it is reserved for those aged 55 and over.

The European Union on Wednesday asked a Belgian court to impose penalties running to millions of euros per day on AstraZeneca for COVID-19 vaccine doses it has failed to deliver to the bloc.

The European Union on Wednesday asked a Belgian court to impose penalties running to millions of euros per day on AstraZeneca for COVID-19 vaccine doses it has failed to deliver to the bloc. The request came as EU countries and their executive, the European Commission, began legal action against the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company for "flagrant violation" of its contract with Brussels. AstraZeneca's lawyer Hakim Boularbah rejected the EU claim, declaring: "There was no manifest breach of contract. It is very shocking to be accused of fraud." Also read | Vaccines can be redesigned to avoid blood clots, German scientists claim The EU is suing AstraZeneca to force it to deliver 90 million more doses of its coronavirus vaccine before July, arguing that the company failed in its contractual duty by handing over only a fraction of promised shots. The deadline for the contract is set for mid-June, according to the Commission, and the EU says the company should face financial penalties if it does not meet this deadline. Also read | Covid in France: Race to vaccinate in Bordeaux as rare variant detected The EU's legal team demanded an upfront fine of 10 million euros ($12 million) plus "10 euros per dose and per day of delay" in that event. AstraZeneca delivered only 30 million doses in the first quarter out of the 120 million it was contracted to supply. For the current quarter, which runs until June 30, it plans to deliver only 70 million of the 180 million doses initially promised. A Commission official close to the case told AFP this month AstraZeneca was currently delivering doses at a rate of only 10 million per month, well below the planned pace. Also read | Russia-linked agency hires influencers to spread fake news about Pfizer vaccine But Bourlarbah told the court the firm would eventually supply 300 million doses and that "everything is being done to resolve the problems". The company's defence relies on a part of the contract that speaks of "best reasonable efforts" by AstraZeneca and declarations that production was hit by unavoidable delays. AstraZeneca's French-Australian boss Pascal Soriot laid out the argument ahead of the court case in a series of interviews with the press. Also read | Moderna says Covid vaccine 'highly effective' among adolescents aged 12 and above But the lawyer for the EU, Rafael Jeffareli, argued in court that the firm had prioritised supplies to Britain and beyond, while failing to make the best effort to step up production at its EU site in the Netherlands, operated by sub-contractor Halix. Jeffareli alleged that for several weeks after the EU signed its contract with the firm in September last year, the Dutch plant had continued to supply markets other than the EU. "Best effort means flexibility. Why did the switchover of the Halix site (to EU supply) only start on October 13?" he demanded. The Halix plant in Leiden, the Netherlands, had sent supplies to Japan at the end of last year, he said. In total, "50 million doses were diverted to third countries in flagrant violation of the contract". The drugs giant's team told the court that AstraZeneca was one of the major suppliers of vaccines to poorer countries facing an ongoing Coronavirus crisis, whereas Europe is already better supplied. "The urgency today is not so much vaccination in Europe, it's that of the world population," Boularbah said. 'Unprecedented speed' AstraZeneca, which worked with Britain's Oxford University in the development of its vaccine, denies having failed in its obligations. It rejects the lawsuit as "unfounded". The company's team said the EU had been warned in February of the delays, which came after the vaccine was developed and put into production at "unprecedented speed". They argued the contract did not oblige them to meet particular deadlines. The judge in the case set June 4 as the next court date in order to possibly question both parties. A final ruling is not expected before the end of June. The commission, which has procured vaccines on behalf of the whole of the EU, initially intended the AstraZeneca jab as the main workhorse in the bloc's inoculation drive. It has now switched to the more expensive Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as its mainstay. The row has eroded public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab, which is also suffering negative perceptions in some countries because of worries over links to very rare fatal blood clots that can prove fatal. Denmark stopped using AstraZeneca in its vaccination campaign as early as April, followed later by Norway and Austria. Most other countries have restricted its use to older adults, including in France where it is reserved for those aged 55 and over.

EU asks for big penalties against AstraZeneca over dose delays

European operators are re-routing their flights to avoid Belarus after a Ryanair flight was diverted to arrest a Lukashenko critic. In Brussels, EU leaders have approved a fresh round of sanctions. Will they be enough to prompt the release of Roman Protasevich? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Belarus airspace deserted after EU boycott

EU&nbsp;leaders on Tuesday welcomed the introduction of a bloc-wide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> pass that they hope will&nbsp;unlock&nbsp;a tourist surge this summer.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

The 27 member states want the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;Digital&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;Certificate, to be launched July 1, to turn the page on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> restrictions that have crimped Europeans' cherished freedom of movement.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vaccine-passport-the-european-covid-certificate-a-users-guide-386729">Vaccine Passport: The European Covid certificate, a user's guide</a></o:p>

Coupled with a separate plan to let in fully vaccinated travellers from countries outside the&nbsp;EU, to be defined by the middle of June, Europe believes its vital tourist industry could claw back some of the losses racked up since the start of the pandemic.<o:p></o:p>

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told a media conference after the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;that more than 300 million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccine</a> doses will have been delivered by the end of this week, rising to 400 million next month.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-lines-up-covid-travel-pass-eiffel-tower-to-reopen-386873">EU lines up Covid travel pass, Eiffel Tower to reopen</a></o:p>

"If we continue like this, we have confidence that we will be able to safely reopen our societies," she said, adding the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;was on track to meet its goal of fully inoculating 70 per cent of adults by late July.<o:p></o:p>

"Progressively, we should return to the ability to move freely throughout the European Union," European Council President Charles Michel said.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coming-soon-the-vaccine-passport-362262">Coming soon: The ‘Vaccine Passport’</a></o:p>

EU&nbsp;countries and the European Parliament struck an agreement last week on the legislation to come into force in mid-June for the&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;certificate. Von der Leyen said all the technological infrastructure would be ready by June 1.<o:p></o:p>

The leaders of Greece, Spain and Croatia, whose economies strongly rely on tourist spending, were particularly effusive about the common document.&nbsp;

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-mulls-vaccination-passports-to-bring-back-tourists-366038">European Union mulls 'vaccination passports' to bring back tourists</a></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

They all had wipe-out summer seasons last year, but are already starting to welcome back foreign travellers, ignoring Brussels' plea to coordinate at an&nbsp;EU&nbsp;level.<o:p></o:p>

QR code verification<o:p></o:p>

Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, pointed out that a scannable QR code on the certificates will stymie the "hugely copied" PDF files of test results or vaccinations that some people were using to cross borders.<o:p></o:p>

The&nbsp;EU's&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;certificate&nbsp;will show the bearer's vaccination status, or whether they have immunity from a&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;infection they have recovered from or the result of a&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;test.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-plans-to-open-up-countries-to-more-foreign-tourists-this-summer-382579">EU plans to open up countries to more foreign tourists this summer</a></o:p>

Conscious that the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;has procured up to 4.4 billion vaccine doses over the next two years, far more than it needs for its population of 450 million, leaders have rallied to a pledge made at a&nbsp;G20&nbsp;summit&nbsp;in Rome last Friday to share 100 million doses to countries in need by the end of this year.<o:p></o:p>

Denmark and Sweden each promised three million doses from their stocks at the&nbsp;summit. Germany, Italy and France had already pledged higher amounts.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-set-to-let-vaccinated-us-tourists-visit-this-summer-380444">EU set to let vaccinated US tourists visit this summer</a></o:p>

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she also pushed leaders to agree to a mechanism to "react quickly and cohesively" if worrying new coronavirus variants popped up.<o:p></o:p>

The Brussels gathering of&nbsp;EU&nbsp;leaders on Tuesday also looked at ways to share out the burden on battling climate change, to meet the target of cutting emissions by 55 per cent over the rest of this decade.<o:p></o:p>

Von der Leyen's commission has been tasked with mapping out the next steps, including potentially unpopular ones such as slapping carbon taxes on cars and buildings.

<o:p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-faces-new-sanctions-from-west-over-forced-landing-of-plane-arrest-of-journalist-387190">Belarus faces new sanctions from West over forced landing of plane, arrest of journalist</a>&nbsp;</o:p>

The first day of the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;on Monday was overshadowed by Belarus, which sits just outside the&nbsp;EU's eastern borders, forcing down a Ryanair passenger plane the day before to arrest an opposition journalist and his companion who were on board.

<o:p>Also Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-leaders-call-for-sanctions-against-belarus-over-ryanair-plane-hijacking-arrest-of-journalist-387120">EU leaders call for sanctions against Belarus over Ryanair plane 'hijacking', arrest of journalist</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-leaders-call-for-sanctions-against-belarus-over-ryanair-plane-hijacking-arrest-of-journalist-387120/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

EU&nbsp;leaders unanimously blasted the action and moved to cut Belarus out of European airspace as part of a package of sanctions that will be developed further.&nbsp;

EU leaders on Tuesday welcomed the introduction of a bloc-wide COVID-19 pass that they hope will unlock a tourist surge this summer. The 27 member states want the EU Digital Covid Certificate, to be launched July 1, to turn the page on coronavirus restrictions that have crimped Europeans' cherished freedom of movement.

EU leaders on Tuesday welcomed the introduction of a bloc-wide COVID-19 pass that they hope will unlock a tourist surge this summer. The 27 member states want the EU Digital Covid Certificate, to be launched July 1, to turn the page on coronavirus restrictions that have crimped Europeans' cherished freedom of movement. Also Read | Vaccine Passport: The European Covid certificate, a user's guide Coupled with a separate plan to let in fully vaccinated travellers from countries outside the EU, to be defined by the middle of June, Europe believes its vital tourist industry could claw back some of the losses racked up since the start of the pandemic. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told a media conference after the summit that more than 300 million COVID-19 vaccine doses will have been delivered by the end of this week, rising to 400 million next month. Also Read | EU lines up Covid travel pass, Eiffel Tower to reopen "If we continue like this, we have confidence that we will be able to safely reopen our societies," she said, adding the EU was on track to meet its goal of fully inoculating 70 per cent of adults by late July. "Progressively, we should return to the ability to move freely throughout the European Union," European Council President Charles Michel said. Also Read | Coming soon: The ‘Vaccine Passport’ EU countries and the European Parliament struck an agreement last week on the legislation to come into force in mid-June for the Covid certificate. Von der Leyen said all the technological infrastructure would be ready by June 1. The leaders of Greece, Spain and Croatia, whose economies strongly rely on tourist spending, were particularly effusive about the common document. Also Read | European Union mulls 'vaccination passports' to bring back tourists They all had wipe-out summer seasons last year, but are already starting to welcome back foreign travellers, ignoring Brussels' plea to coordinate at an EU level. QR code verification Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, pointed out that a scannable QR code on the certificates will stymie the "hugely copied" PDF files of test results or vaccinations that some people were using to cross borders. The EU's Covid certificate will show the bearer's vaccination status, or whether they have immunity from a Covid infection they have recovered from or the result of a Covid test. Also Read | EU plans to open up countries to more foreign tourists this summer Conscious that the EU has procured up to 4.4 billion vaccine doses over the next two years, far more than it needs for its population of 450 million, leaders have rallied to a pledge made at a G20 summit in Rome last Friday to share 100 million doses to countries in need by the end of this year. Denmark and Sweden each promised three million doses from their stocks at the summit. Germany, Italy and France had already pledged higher amounts. Also Read | EU set to let vaccinated US tourists visit this summer German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she also pushed leaders to agree to a mechanism to "react quickly and cohesively" if worrying new coronavirus variants popped up. The Brussels gathering of EU leaders on Tuesday also looked at ways to share out the burden on battling climate change, to meet the target of cutting emissions by 55 per cent over the rest of this decade. Von der Leyen's commission has been tasked with mapping out the next steps, including potentially unpopular ones such as slapping carbon taxes on cars and buildings. Also Read | Belarus faces new sanctions from West over forced landing of plane, arrest of journalist The first day of the summit on Monday was overshadowed by Belarus, which sits just outside the EU's eastern borders, forcing down a Ryanair passenger plane the day before to arrest an opposition journalist and his companion who were on board. Also Watch | EU leaders call for sanctions against Belarus over Ryanair plane 'hijacking', arrest of journalist EU leaders unanimously blasted the action and moved to cut Belarus out of European airspace as part of a package of sanctions that will be developed further.

EU summit welcomes Covid certificate to unlock travel

The European Commission will confront drugs giant AstraZeneca in a Belgian court on Wednesday over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine?page=1">coronavirus vaccine</a> delivery shortfalls that hampered efforts to kickstart inoculations across the bloc.&nbsp;

Lawyers for both sides are due to appear before a judge in the French-speaking court in Brussels from 09:00 am (0700 GMT). Another hearing is scheduled for Friday, the court said.

The EU is suing the British-Swedish pharmaceutical group in a bid to force it to deliver 90 million more doses of its Covid-19 vaccine before July.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-linked-agency-hires-influencers-to-spread-fake-news-about-pfizer-vaccine-387419" hreflang="en">Russia-linked agency hires influencers to spread fake news about Pfizer vaccine</a>

The deadline for the contract was set for mid-June, according to the Commission, and the EU says the company will face financial penalties if it does not meet this deadline.

AstraZeneca delivered only 30 million doses in the first quarter out of the 120 million it was contracted to supply. For the current quarter which runs until June 30, it plans to deliver only 70 million of the 180 million initially promised.

A Commission official close to the case told AFP this month that AstraZeneca was currently delivering doses at a rate of only 10 million per month, well below the planned pace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/half-of-adult-americans-fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19-says-white-house-387327" hreflang="en">Half of adult Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, says White House</a>

The group denies having failed in its obligations and at the end of April denounced the lawsuit as "unfounded".&nbsp;

One lawyer for AstraZeneca claimed that the EU had been warned "as early as February" of the delays and expressed surprise that the bloc had waited at least two months to take the matter to court.

The EU is also accusing the pharmaceutical giant — which worked with Oxford University in the development of its vaccine —&nbsp;of having favoured the UK in its deliveries, even for jabs made by subcontractors on the continent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-says-covid-vaccine-highly-effective-among-adolescents-aged-12-and-above-387313" hreflang="en">Moderna says Covid vaccine 'highly effective' among adolescents aged 12 and above</a>

AstraZeneca's French-Australian boss Pascal Soriot has argued that his company's contract with the EU binds it only to a "best reasonable efforts" clause.&nbsp;

But the European Commission says the rest of the contract shows greater legal responsibility than that, and EU diplomats and lawmakers have pointed out that the company has largely delivered promised doses to Britain, where it is headquartered.

'Not in the contract'

The commission, which has been responsible for procuring vaccines for all of the bloc, initially intended to use the AstraZeneca jab as the main workhorse to power the EU's inoculation drive.

It has now switched to the more expensive BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine as its mainstay.

In a hearing, Rafael Jafferali, one of the commission's lawyers, &nbsp;accused AstraZeneca of having "breached numerous obligations under the pre-order contract".&nbsp;

"This affects both the production and delivery of the vaccines," he said.

But Hakim Boularbah, AstraZeneca's lawyer, said the contracts contained "no obligation to use (production) sites".

"This may be what the commission wants, but it is not provided for in the contract," he said.

The row has eroded public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab, which also took a blow over worries of links to very rare blood clots in people who had received it. &nbsp;

In the European Union, Denmark, as early as April, and later Norway and Austria, stopped using AstraZeneca in their vaccination campaigns.&nbsp;

Most other countries have restricted its administration to older adults. This is the case in France, where it is reserved for those aged 55 and over.

The European Commission will confront drugs giant AstraZeneca in a Belgian court on Wednesday over coronavirus vaccine delivery shortfalls that hampered efforts to kickstart inoculations across the bloc.

The European Commission will confront drugs giant AstraZeneca in a Belgian court on Wednesday over coronavirus vaccine delivery shortfalls that hampered efforts to kickstart inoculations across the bloc. Lawyers for both sides are due to appear before a judge in the French-speaking court in Brussels from 09:00 am (0700 GMT). Another hearing is scheduled for Friday, the court said. The EU is suing the British-Swedish pharmaceutical group in a bid to force it to deliver 90 million more doses of its Covid-19 vaccine before July. Also read | Russia-linked agency hires influencers to spread fake news about Pfizer vaccine The deadline for the contract was set for mid-June, according to the Commission, and the EU says the company will face financial penalties if it does not meet this deadline. AstraZeneca delivered only 30 million doses in the first quarter out of the 120 million it was contracted to supply. For the current quarter which runs until June 30, it plans to deliver only 70 million of the 180 million initially promised. A Commission official close to the case told AFP this month that AstraZeneca was currently delivering doses at a rate of only 10 million per month, well below the planned pace. Also read | Half of adult Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, says White House The group denies having failed in its obligations and at the end of April denounced the lawsuit as "unfounded". One lawyer for AstraZeneca claimed that the EU had been warned "as early as February" of the delays and expressed surprise that the bloc had waited at least two months to take the matter to court. The EU is also accusing the pharmaceutical giant — which worked with Oxford University in the development of its vaccine — of having favoured the UK in its deliveries, even for jabs made by subcontractors on the continent. Also read | Moderna says Covid vaccine 'highly effective' among adolescents aged 12 and above AstraZeneca's French-Australian boss Pascal Soriot has argued that his company's contract with the EU binds it only to a "best reasonable efforts" clause. But the European Commission says the rest of the contract shows greater legal responsibility than that, and EU diplomats and lawmakers have pointed out that the company has largely delivered promised doses to Britain, where it is headquartered. 'Not in the contract' The commission, which has been responsible for procuring vaccines for all of the bloc, initially intended to use the AstraZeneca jab as the main workhorse to power the EU's inoculation drive. It has now switched to the more expensive BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine as its mainstay. In a hearing, Rafael Jafferali, one of the commission's lawyers, accused AstraZeneca of having "breached numerous obligations under the pre-order contract". "This affects both the production and delivery of the vaccines," he said. But Hakim Boularbah, AstraZeneca's lawyer, said the contracts contained "no obligation to use (production) sites". "This may be what the commission wants, but it is not provided for in the contract," he said. The row has eroded public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab, which also took a blow over worries of links to very rare blood clots in people who had received it. In the European Union, Denmark, as early as April, and later Norway and Austria, stopped using AstraZeneca in their vaccination campaigns. Most other countries have restricted its administration to older adults. This is the case in France, where it is reserved for those aged 55 and over.

EU and AstraZeneca battle in court over vaccine delays

The European Union's tensions with former member Britain are not due to problems with the Northern Ireland protocol agreed by both sides, but Brexit itself, the head of the bloc’s executive said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference after the first day of an EU summit in Brussels that all 27 member states of the bloc agreed that there can be no alternative to a full and correct implementation of the protocol.&nbsp;

"There should be no doubt that there is no alternative to the full and correct implementation of the protocol, she said.&nbsp;

"It is important to reiterate that the protocol is the only possible solution to ensure peace and stability in Northern Ireland while protecting the integrity of the European Union single market," von der Leyen added.&nbsp;

"If we see problems today we should not forget that they do not come from the protocol but result from Brexit, that is the reason why the problems are there."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The European Union's tensions with former member Britain are not due to problems with the Northern Ireland protocol agreed by both sides, but Brexit itself, the head of the bloc’s executive said on Tuesday.

The European Union's tensions with former member Britain are not due to problems with the Northern Ireland protocol agreed by both sides, but Brexit itself, the head of the bloc’s executive said on Tuesday. Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference after the first day of an EU summit in Brussels that all 27 member states of the bloc agreed that there can be no alternative to a full and correct implementation of the protocol. "There should be no doubt that there is no alternative to the full and correct implementation of the protocol, she said. "It is important to reiterate that the protocol is the only possible solution to ensure peace and stability in Northern Ireland while protecting the integrity of the European Union single market," von der Leyen added. "If we see problems today we should not forget that they do not come from the protocol but result from Brexit, that is the reason why the problems are there." (With inputs from agencies)

EU says tensions with UK stem from Brexit, not Northern Ireland protocol 

European Union leaders agreed to impose more sanctions on Belarus, including economic ones. EU leaders have also cut Europe's airlinks with Belarus and agreed on banning Belarusian airlines from the bloc.

EU leaders agree to impose more sanctions on Belarus over Ryanair flight 'hijacking'

Global leaders have condemned Belarus' diversion of the Ryanair flight and the detention of a journalist. The move has provoked a furious outcry from EU leaders who described it as a 'hijacking' and an act of 'state terrorism'. EU has also said to discuss toughening of its existing sanctions against Belarus at a pre-planned summit today.

EU leaders call for sanctions against Belarus over Ryanair plane 'hijacking', arrest of journalist

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.&nbsp;

In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.&nbsp;

Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified.&nbsp;

The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so.&nbsp;

Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies.&nbsp;

Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers.&nbsp;

As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’.&nbsp;

EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond.&nbsp;

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take.&nbsp;

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation.&nbsp;

Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus."&nbsp;

Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday.&nbsp;

The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement.&nbsp;

The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham.&nbsp;

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’.&nbsp;

Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens.&nbsp;

"Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement.&nbsp;

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out.&nbsp;

ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation.&nbsp;

The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko.&nbsp;

Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud.&nbsp;

Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk.&nbsp;

The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said.&nbsp;

One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat.&nbsp;

The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said.&nbsp;

Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation.&nbsp;

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius.&nbsp;

Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said.&nbsp;

Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said.&nbsp;

Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime."&nbsp;

Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned.&nbsp;

The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel.&nbsp;

About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody. Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified. The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies. Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers. As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’. EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation. Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus." Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West. Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday. The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement. The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’. Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens. "Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out. ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation. The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko. Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud. Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said. One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat. The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said. Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius. Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said. Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said. Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime." Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned. The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel. About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus forces airliner to land and arrests blogger opposed to president, sparking US, European outrage 

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. &nbsp;

The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. &nbsp;

"This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides.&nbsp;

The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said.&nbsp;

However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided.&nbsp;

"Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening.

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. "This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic. Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said. However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided. "Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread. (With inputs from agencies)

EU lines up Covid travel pass, Eiffel Tower to reopen 

In a move that will be widely welcomed, the European Parliament has decided to extend support to India-South Africa's joint proposal for Covid vaccine patent waiver that will help in large-scale production of the vaccines.

Para 14 of the&nbsp;resolution&nbsp;called on "EU to set up a clear and coherent EU global COVID-19 vaccination strategy" and therefore "to support the Indian and South African World Trade Organization initiative for a temporary waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, equipment, and treatments" while urging "pharmaceutical companies to share their knowledge and data through the World Health Organization COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP)".

The support comes via a very circuitous route, with the&nbsp;specific paragraph being mentioned on&nbsp;a resolution on AIDS. The resolution&nbsp;“accelerating progress and tackling inequalities towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030" saw 468 votes in favour, 63 against, and 162 abstentions.

In October 2020, India and South Africa had jointly initiated the proposal at WTO but had met with resistance from the west. The tide started to turn, with US President Biden extending support to the proposal. In March of this year, a group of Members of European Parliament or MEPs and EU national parliamentarians called on the EU Commission to drop its opposition to the waiver.

The matter also came up at the May 8 India-EU leadership summit with Indian PM Narendra Modi urging European Union leadership to support the wavier.&nbsp;"I think it is very important. We should be open to this discussion", the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said after the summit.&nbsp;The&nbsp;session of the European Parliament between June 7-10 will see a discussion on waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents.

India and the EU are major centres of vaccine production. Before the second wave of the Covid pandemic hit, India had exported vaccines to over 90 countries. The European Union, which has produced 400 million doses of vaccines, has exported half of its stockpile of&nbsp;200 million to 90 countries.

In a move that will be widely welcomed, the European Parliament has decided to extend support to India-South Africa's joint proposal for Covid vaccine patent waiver that will help in large-scale production of the vaccines.

In a move that will be widely welcomed, the European Parliament has decided to extend support to India-South Africa's joint proposal for Covid vaccine patent waiver that will help in large-scale production of the vaccines. Para 14 of the resolution called on "EU to set up a clear and coherent EU global COVID-19 vaccination strategy" and therefore "to support the Indian and South African World Trade Organization initiative for a temporary waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, equipment, and treatments" while urging "pharmaceutical companies to share their knowledge and data through the World Health Organization COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP)". The support comes via a very circuitous route, with the specific paragraph being mentioned on a resolution on AIDS. The resolution “accelerating progress and tackling inequalities towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030" saw 468 votes in favour, 63 against, and 162 abstentions. In October 2020, India and South Africa had jointly initiated the proposal at WTO but had met with resistance from the west. The tide started to turn, with US President Biden extending support to the proposal. In March of this year, a group of Members of European Parliament or MEPs and EU national parliamentarians called on the EU Commission to drop its opposition to the waiver. The matter also came up at the May 8 India-EU leadership summit with Indian PM Narendra Modi urging European Union leadership to support the wavier. "I think it is very important. We should be open to this discussion", the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said after the summit. The session of the European Parliament between June 7-10 will see a discussion on waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents. India and the EU are major centres of vaccine production. Before the second wave of the Covid pandemic hit, India had exported vaccines to over 90 countries. The European Union, which has produced 400 million doses of vaccines, has exported half of its stockpile of 200 million to 90 countries.

EU Parliament extends support to India, South Africa's Covid vaccine patent waiver

With an aim to save the planet Earth for future generations, the world’s richest countries have decided to pull the plug on funding coal development projects overseas.

After two days of the G7 meeting of environment and energy ministers, hosted by the UK, all countries present in the meet have decided to end the financial support of coal development and have assured their commitment to limiting global heating to 1.5C.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astrophysicists-detect-gamma-rays-from-surprising-cosmic-sources-386599" hreflang="en">Astrophysicists detect gamma rays from surprising cosmic sources</a>

G7 members — namely the UK, US, France, Canada, Italy, Germany, and the EU — have come together to make sure there is no more funding for any such projects that can harm the environment for future generations.

Japan, however, has raised concerns about this change. The Japanese government believes if the country does not invest money in coal development, China will step in to build less-efficient and more harmful coal-fired power plants, which will be more harmful, Japan claims.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/meet-climate-changes-latest-offering-to-earth-zombie-wildfires-386102" hreflang="en">Meet climate change's latest offering to Earth - 'Zombie wildfires'</a>

"I will strongly recommend to the president that this is a policy that we should pursue … But I guarantee that we will be completely consistent with 1.5C. 1.5C governs the choices we have to make in the next 10 years. Any decision has to be within that framework," John Kerry, the US climate envoy said.

France has come out in support of the decision and hopes this will send out a message that coal is an energy 'of the past'.

"I am delighted that an agreement could be found regarding a key aspect of our G7 communique: the absolute end of new direct government support for international coal power generation. It gives a very strong signal to the world that coal is an energy of the past and has no place in our future energy mix. It sets the stage for a radical transition towards clean energy," Barbara Pompili, France’s environment minister said.

With an aim to save the planet Earth for future generations, the world’s richest countries have decided to pull the plug on funding coal development projects overseas.

With an aim to save the planet Earth for future generations, the world’s richest countries have decided to pull the plug on funding coal development projects overseas. After two days of the G7 meeting of environment and energy ministers, hosted by the UK, all countries present in the meet have decided to end the financial support of coal development and have assured their commitment to limiting global heating to 1.5C. Also read | Astrophysicists detect gamma rays from surprising cosmic sources G7 members — namely the UK, US, France, Canada, Italy, Germany, and the EU — have come together to make sure there is no more funding for any such projects that can harm the environment for future generations. Japan, however, has raised concerns about this change. The Japanese government believes if the country does not invest money in coal development, China will step in to build less-efficient and more harmful coal-fired power plants, which will be more harmful, Japan claims. Also read | Meet climate change's latest offering to Earth - 'Zombie wildfires' "I will strongly recommend to the president that this is a policy that we should pursue … But I guarantee that we will be completely consistent with 1.5C. 1.5C governs the choices we have to make in the next 10 years. Any decision has to be within that framework," John Kerry, the US climate envoy said. France has come out in support of the decision and hopes this will send out a message that coal is an energy 'of the past'. "I am delighted that an agreement could be found regarding a key aspect of our G7 communique: the absolute end of new direct government support for international coal power generation. It gives a very strong signal to the world that coal is an energy of the past and has no place in our future energy mix. It sets the stage for a radical transition towards clean energy," Barbara Pompili, France’s environment minister said.

Rich countries halt funding for coal production overseas

Members of the European Union have agreed to ease COVID 19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated, non-EU tourists.

European Union: EU members to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions

Hungary Foreign Minister &nbsp;Peter Szijjarto slammed what he called the European Union's 'one-sided' statement on Israel. His comments camem even as his European counterparts called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians

"I have a general problem with these European statements on Israel... These are usually very much one-sided, and these statements do not help, especially not under current circumstances, when the tension is so high," Szijjarto told AFP in an interview.

On Tuesday, EU foreign police chief Josep Borrell appealed for implementation of a ceasefire.

"The priority is the immediate cessation of all violence and the implementation of a ceasefire," Borrell said after a video conference of EU foreign ministers, adding the statement was backed by all the bloc's member states except Hungary.&nbsp;

Szijjarto himself did not attend the meeting. Hungary has recently used its veto power to block EU statements on China.

In the interview with AFP, Szijjarto insisted that blocking decisions "is a right of every country in the European Union".

"EU diplomacy should not consist only of judgements, negative statements and sanctions," he said.

"So I think less judgement, less lecturing, less criticism, less interference and more pragmatic cooperation could give back a lot of strength to the European Union."

Israel's intense bombing campaign has killed 213 Palestinians, including 61 children, and wounded more than 1,400 people in Gaza in more than a week of fighting against Islamist group Hamas, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

The death toll on the Israeli side rose to 12 on Tuesday when a volley of rockets Hamas fired at the southern Eshkol region killed two Thai nationals working in a factory and wounded several others.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hungary Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto slammed what he called the European Union's 'one-sided' statement on Israel. His comments camem even as his European counterparts called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians "I have a general problem with these European statements on Israel.

Hungary Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto slammed what he called the European Union's 'one-sided' statement on Israel. His comments camem even as his European counterparts called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians "I have a general problem with these European statements on Israel... These are usually very much one-sided, and these statements do not help, especially not under current circumstances, when the tension is so high," Szijjarto told AFP in an interview. On Tuesday, EU foreign police chief Josep Borrell appealed for implementation of a ceasefire. "The priority is the immediate cessation of all violence and the implementation of a ceasefire," Borrell said after a video conference of EU foreign ministers, adding the statement was backed by all the bloc's member states except Hungary. Szijjarto himself did not attend the meeting. Hungary has recently used its veto power to block EU statements on China. In the interview with AFP, Szijjarto insisted that blocking decisions "is a right of every country in the European Union". "EU diplomacy should not consist only of judgements, negative statements and sanctions," he said. "So I think less judgement, less lecturing, less criticism, less interference and more pragmatic cooperation could give back a lot of strength to the European Union." Israel's intense bombing campaign has killed 213 Palestinians, including 61 children, and wounded more than 1,400 people in Gaza in more than a week of fighting against Islamist group Hamas, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The death toll on the Israeli side rose to 12 on Tuesday when a volley of rockets Hamas fired at the southern Eshkol region killed two Thai nationals working in a factory and wounded several others. (With inputs from agencies)

Hungary foreign minister slams EU for 'one-sided' statements on Israel

Calling India, EU Leadership summit of 8th May a "turning point" in ties, the European Union's envoy to India Ugo Astuto has said, "we want to work together so that we can shape the global agenda". This is the 2nd time this format of one world leader and all 27 EU member states meet happened, the first was with US President in March this year.

India, EU leadership summit 'turning point' in ties says EU envoy Ugo Astuto

The European Union is ditching the AstraZeneca vaccine for the Pfizer shot. The bloc hasn't placed new orders for the Oxford vaccine beyond June. Palki Sharma tells you why.

Gravitas: European Union ditches AstraZeneca

The European Union has seemingly decided not to renew its deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca for its Covid-19 vaccine according to a leading official.

EU to launch new legal action against AstraZeneca

The European Union is all set to launch a second legal case against AstraZeneca over its delayed deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines. The move is mostly procedural after a first case was launched in April, according to a leading official.

EU to launch new legal action against AstraZeneca over vaccine deliveries

AstraZeneca Plc has delivered 50 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to European Union countries, according to EU`s latest supply data, a milestone it was originally due to hit in January. 
 
Repeated cuts to supplies, which contributed to delays in the EU`s vaccination drive, pushed the European executive commission to sue the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker in late April in a bid to get more doses by mid-year. 
 
AstraZeneca had shipped nearly 50 million doses as of May 7, an EU official told Reuters on Monday, citing the latest EU internal figures on vaccine supplies. 
 
In mid-March, the company had pledged to deliver 50.2 million doses to the EU by the end of April, an AstraZeneca document seen by Reuters shows. 
 
But AstraZeneca had shipped only 47.6 million doses by the evening of April 30, a spokesman for the company said, adding that other doses were sent over the first weekend of May and in the following days "following requests to not ship to a few countries that had public holidays during this period". 
 
Immediately after the EU sued the company, AstraZeneca issued a statement on April 26 saying it would deliver "almost 50 million doses to European countries by the end of April". 
 
Under its contract with the EU, the company had committed to its "best reasonable efforts" to deliver 300 million doses by the end of June, of which 70 million were supposed to be delivered by the end of January. 
 
Citing production problems and export restrictions, AstraZeneca in March said it would deliver to the EU only 100 million doses by the end of June. It delivered 30 million in total by the end of March. 
 
The vaccine was approved for use in the EU in late January, but the EU Commission has said AstraZeneca should have applied earlier.

AstraZeneca Plc has delivered 50 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to European Union countries, according to EU`s latest supply data, a milestone it was originally due to hit in January.

AstraZeneca Plc has delivered 50 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to European Union countries, according to EU`s latest supply data, a milestone it was originally due to hit in January. Repeated cuts to supplies, which contributed to delays in the EU`s vaccination drive, pushed the European executive commission to sue the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker in late April in a bid to get more doses by mid-year. AstraZeneca had shipped nearly 50 million doses as of May 7, an EU official told Reuters on Monday, citing the latest EU internal figures on vaccine supplies. In mid-March, the company had pledged to deliver 50.2 million doses to the EU by the end of April, an AstraZeneca document seen by Reuters shows. But AstraZeneca had shipped only 47.6 million doses by the evening of April 30, a spokesman for the company said, adding that other doses were sent over the first weekend of May and in the following days "following requests to not ship to a few countries that had public holidays during this period". Immediately after the EU sued the company, AstraZeneca issued a statement on April 26 saying it would deliver "almost 50 million doses to European countries by the end of April". Under its contract with the EU, the company had committed to its "best reasonable efforts" to deliver 300 million doses by the end of June, of which 70 million were supposed to be delivered by the end of January. Citing production problems and export restrictions, AstraZeneca in March said it would deliver to the EU only 100 million doses by the end of June. It delivered 30 million in total by the end of March. The vaccine was approved for use in the EU in late January, but the EU Commission has said AstraZeneca should have applied earlier.

AstraZeneca finally delivers vaccines to EU which were due in January

EU decides to not renew AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine order

President Vladimir Putin is expected to review Russia's traditional World War Two victory parade on Sunday, a patriotic display of raw military power that this year coincides with soaring tensions with the West. &nbsp;

The parade on Moscow's Red Square commemorating the 76th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two is expected to feature over 12,000 troops, more than 190 pieces of military hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, and - weather permitting - a fly-past by nearly 80 military aircraft. &nbsp;

Putin, who has been in power as either president or prime minister since 1999, traditionally watches the display, which is due to start at 0700 GMT, with Soviet war veterans from a review platform.&nbsp;

This year's parade precedes parliamentary elections in September and comes at a time when Moscow's relations with the West are acutely strained over everything from Ukraine to the fate of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.&nbsp;

The United States and Russia have expelled each other's diplomats in recent months in a series of retaliatory moves and Moscow and EU member states have been involved in a similar tit-for-tat diplomatic dispute. &nbsp;

Sunday's parade follows a massive show of Russian military force near the borders of Ukraine and in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Kyiv in 2014, and an uptick in fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces. &nbsp;

Moscow said the build-up, which alarmed the West, was a training exercise in response to activity by the NATO military alliance and Ukraine. It has since ordered a withdrawal of some troops.&nbsp;

Smaller military parades are planned on Sunday in cities across Russia, in annexed Crimea, and at Russia's Hmeymim air base in Syria.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin is expected to review Russia's traditional World War Two victory parade on Sunday, a patriotic display of raw military power that this year coincides with soaring tensions with the West.

President Vladimir Putin is expected to review Russia's traditional World War Two victory parade on Sunday, a patriotic display of raw military power that this year coincides with soaring tensions with the West. The parade on Moscow's Red Square commemorating the 76th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two is expected to feature over 12,000 troops, more than 190 pieces of military hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, and - weather permitting - a fly-past by nearly 80 military aircraft. Putin, who has been in power as either president or prime minister since 1999, traditionally watches the display, which is due to start at 0700 GMT, with Soviet war veterans from a review platform. This year's parade precedes parliamentary elections in September and comes at a time when Moscow's relations with the West are acutely strained over everything from Ukraine to the fate of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The United States and Russia have expelled each other's diplomats in recent months in a series of retaliatory moves and Moscow and EU member states have been involved in a similar tit-for-tat diplomatic dispute. Sunday's parade follows a massive show of Russian military force near the borders of Ukraine and in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Kyiv in 2014, and an uptick in fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces. Moscow said the build-up, which alarmed the West, was a training exercise in response to activity by the NATO military alliance and Ukraine. It has since ordered a withdrawal of some troops. Smaller military parades are planned on Sunday in cities across Russia, in annexed Crimea, and at Russia's Hmeymim air base in Syria. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin to review Russian military might as tensions with West soar 

The summit's focus will be on making sure the two vaccine-producing powerhouses can maintain global supplies and monitoring the spread of variants, as well as on trying to plan together to tackle future pandemics.

India EU Summit: 27 EU nation leaders gather in Portugal

The EU and India were set to bolster warming ties at a virtual summit Saturday by relaunching long-stalled trade talks and agreeing to work together against the coronavirus pandemic battering the south Asian giant.

Exclusive: EU states meet, Indian Prime Minister Modi a special invitee

The first-ever India-EU summit comprising of India and 27 EU member states began on Saturday. World leaders showered praise on India. These included French President Emmanuel Macron who said India did not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa who himself is an Overseas Citizen of India. He spoke about his OCI card with pride.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed EU leadership to support waiver on Trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS waiver) at WTO (World Trade Organisation). This wavier is being sought for Covid-related treatments and vaccines to be widely available across the world.

Last week US extended support for the wavier, which came in the backdrop of PM Modi-US President Joe Biden's talks. The wavier will help in the production of more covid vaccines helping ease the situation globally.

During the summit on Saturday, several EU leaders individually thanked India for medical supplies it provided last year while Europe battled the pandemic. &nbsp;All the EU leaders extended solidarity and support to the people of India and the government amid the covid crisis.&nbsp;

French President Macron pointed out that India did not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" about vaccine supplies. He highlighted that India has "exported a lot for vaccines for humanity" while mentioning the situation in the country due to covid. Spain PM Pedro Sánchez warmly recalled Indian assistance last year when Spain faced terrible times due to COVID.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/anti-covid-drug-by-indias-defence-research-and-development-organisation-gets-regulator-nod-383728">Anti-Covid drug by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation gets regulator nod</a>

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa proudly mentioned his status as an OCI.

Portugal is the President of the Council of the European Union and the virtual India-EU Leaders meet is being hosted by Portugal PM António Costa.

'Kem Chho'

Belgian PM Alexander De Croo greeted PM Narendra Modi with 'Kem Chho'. It means 'how are you?' in Gujarati, PM Modi's mother tongue.

7,000 people of Indian origin people live in Belgium. Large number of Gujaratis stay in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warmly recalled Indian assistance last year during the worst time for Spain. India has been exported vaccines and medicines to many countries in the world during the pandemic.

It is for the second time the EU is holding such a summit with any country. In March, US President Joe Biden meet with EU member states in such a format.

The first-ever India-EU summit comprising of India and 27 EU member states began on Saturday. World leaders showered praise on India. These included French President Emmanuel Macron who said India did not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa who himself is an Overseas Citizen of India.

The first-ever India-EU summit comprising of India and 27 EU member states began on Saturday. World leaders showered praise on India. These included French President Emmanuel Macron who said India did not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa who himself is an Overseas Citizen of India. He spoke about his OCI card with pride. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed EU leadership to support waiver on Trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS waiver) at WTO (World Trade Organisation). This wavier is being sought for Covid-related treatments and vaccines to be widely available across the world. Last week US extended support for the wavier, which came in the backdrop of PM Modi-US President Joe Biden's talks. The wavier will help in the production of more covid vaccines helping ease the situation globally. During the summit on Saturday, several EU leaders individually thanked India for medical supplies it provided last year while Europe battled the pandemic. All the EU leaders extended solidarity and support to the people of India and the government amid the covid crisis. French President Macron pointed out that India did not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" about vaccine supplies. He highlighted that India has "exported a lot for vaccines for humanity" while mentioning the situation in the country due to covid. Spain PM Pedro Sánchez warmly recalled Indian assistance last year when Spain faced terrible times due to COVID. Also Read | Anti-Covid drug by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation gets regulator nod Portuguese PM Antonio Costa proudly mentioned his status as an OCI. Portugal is the President of the Council of the European Union and the virtual India-EU Leaders meet is being hosted by Portugal PM António Costa. 'Kem Chho' Belgian PM Alexander De Croo greeted PM Narendra Modi with 'Kem Chho'. It means 'how are you?' in Gujarati, PM Modi's mother tongue. 7,000 people of Indian origin people live in Belgium. Large number of Gujaratis stay in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warmly recalled Indian assistance last year during the worst time for Spain. India has been exported vaccines and medicines to many countries in the world during the pandemic. It is for the second time the EU is holding such a summit with any country. In March, US President Joe Biden meet with EU member states in such a format.

India-EU Summit: EU leaders extend solidarity to India, PM Modi presses for vaccine patent waivers

The European Commission called on Friday on the United States and other major COVID-19 vaccine producers to export what they make as the European Union does, rather than talk about waiving intellectual property rights to the shots.&nbsp;

Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference on the sidelines of a summit of EU leaders that discussions on the waiver would not produce a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the short- to medium-term.&nbsp;

"We should be open to lead this discussion. But when we lead this discussion, there needs to be a 360-degree view on it because we need vaccines now for the whole world," she said.&nbsp;

"The European Union is the only continental or democratic region of this world that is exporting at large scale," von der Leyen said.&nbsp;

She said about 50% of European-produced coronavirus vaccine is exported to almost 90 countries, including those in the World Health Organization-backed COVAX programme.&nbsp;

"And we invite all those, who engage in the debate of a waiver for IP rights also to join us to commit to be willing to export a large share of what is being produced in that region," she said.&nbsp;

Only higher production, removing exports barriers and the sharing of already-ordered vaccines could immediately help fight the pandemic quickly, she said.&nbsp;

"So, what is necessary in the short term and the medium term: First of all, vaccine sharing. Secondly export of vaccines that are being produced. And the third is investment in the increasing of the capacity to manufacture vaccines."&nbsp;

Von der Leyen said the European Union had started its vaccine sharing mechanism, citing delivery of 615,000 doses to the Western Balkans as an example.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The European Commission called on Friday on the United States and other major COVID-19 vaccine producers to export what they make as the European Union does, rather than talk about waiving intellectual property rights to the shots.

The European Commission called on Friday on the United States and other major COVID-19 vaccine producers to export what they make as the European Union does, rather than talk about waiving intellectual property rights to the shots. Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference on the sidelines of a summit of EU leaders that discussions on the waiver would not produce a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the short- to medium-term. "We should be open to lead this discussion. But when we lead this discussion, there needs to be a 360-degree view on it because we need vaccines now for the whole world," she said. "The European Union is the only continental or democratic region of this world that is exporting at large scale," von der Leyen said. She said about 50% of European-produced coronavirus vaccine is exported to almost 90 countries, including those in the World Health Organization-backed COVAX programme. "And we invite all those, who engage in the debate of a waiver for IP rights also to join us to commit to be willing to export a large share of what is being produced in that region," she said. Only higher production, removing exports barriers and the sharing of already-ordered vaccines could immediately help fight the pandemic quickly, she said. "So, what is necessary in the short term and the medium term: First of all, vaccine sharing. Secondly export of vaccines that are being produced. And the third is investment in the increasing of the capacity to manufacture vaccines." Von der Leyen said the European Union had started its vaccine sharing mechanism, citing delivery of 615,000 doses to the Western Balkans as an example. (With inputs from agencies)

EU calls on US, others to export vaccines, rather than talk about IP waiver

The European Union has concluded deal for upto 1.8 billion extra doses of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Twitter as she attended an EU summit in Portugal.

"Happy to announce that the EU Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with BioNTech/Pfizer for 2021-2023," she tweeted from an EU summit in Portugal.

"Other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow," she promised.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Happy to announce that <a href="https://twitter.com/EU_Commission?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EU_Commission</a> has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with <a href="https://twitter.com/BioNTech_Group?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BioNTech_Group</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pfizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pfizer</a> for 2021-2023. 
 
Other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1390967173460463619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The EU said that the contract on top of the 600 million BioNTech/Pfizer doses the commission has already secured, aims to supply the bloc -- population 450 million -- with enough jabs for booster shots.

They could also expand vaccination to minors and for exports to lower-income countries outside the EU, it added.

Ursula von der Leyen said that the mRNA technology used by BioNTech/Pfizer and other vaccine-makers has proven safe and effective.

BioNTech of Germany and Pfizer of the United States have stepped up supply Europe with their jointly produced doses, and their vaccine is currently the main one being used in the EU.

EU rollout accelerating

Others in the EU vaccine portfolio include those from AstraZeneca -- which delivered far below the quantities it had promised, and whose jab has been tarnished by a link to very rare blood clots -- as well as from Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson.

After a slow start, the EU's vaccination rollout has greatly picked up speed, with more than a quarter of its population having received at least one jab.&nbsp;

The 27-nation bloc is on track to have 70 percent of adults fully vaccinated by late July, and is already cautiously reopening ahead of its vital summer vacation period.

Von der Leyen has stood by the EU strategy of her Commission being responsible for negotiating vaccine contracts for all member countries, despite early criticism that rollout was too slow.

Europe is now <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-calls-on-us-others-to-export-vaccines-rather-than-talk-about-ip-waiver-383578">debating with the United States</a> over whether lifting patents on Covid vaccines could boost supplies to poorer countries.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-calls-on-us-others-to-export-vaccines-rather-than-talk-about-ip-waiver-383578">EU calls on US, others to export vaccines, rather than talk about IP waiver</a>

The EU has so far sent more than 200 million doses to non-EU countries, while the United States has dispatched just 2.7 million to Mexico in what it describes as a "loan".

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, tweeted that "Europe’s role in the world is more critical today than ever as we fight Covid-19," adding that it "shows when we collaborate on common causes we are stronger together".

The European Union is major contributor to Covax, a WHO-backed facility designed to get doses to mainly lower-income countries.

(With&nbsp;inputs from agencies)

The European Union has concluded deal for upto 1.8 billion extra doses of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Twitter as she attended an EU summit in Portugal.

The European Union has concluded deal for upto 1.8 billion extra doses of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Twitter as she attended an EU summit in Portugal. "Happy to announce that the EU Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with BioNTech/Pfizer for 2021-2023," she tweeted from an EU summit in Portugal. "Other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow," she promised. Happy to announce that @EU_Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with @BioNTech_Group @Pfizer for 2021-2023. Other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 8, 2021 × The EU said that the contract on top of the 600 million BioNTech/Pfizer doses the commission has already secured, aims to supply the bloc -- population 450 million -- with enough jabs for booster shots. They could also expand vaccination to minors and for exports to lower-income countries outside the EU, it added. Ursula von der Leyen said that the mRNA technology used by BioNTech/Pfizer and other vaccine-makers has proven safe and effective. BioNTech of Germany and Pfizer of the United States have stepped up supply Europe with their jointly produced doses, and their vaccine is currently the main one being used in the EU. EU rollout accelerating Others in the EU vaccine portfolio include those from AstraZeneca -- which delivered far below the quantities it had promised, and whose jab has been tarnished by a link to very rare blood clots -- as well as from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. After a slow start, the EU's vaccination rollout has greatly picked up speed, with more than a quarter of its population having received at least one jab. The 27-nation bloc is on track to have 70 percent of adults fully vaccinated by late July, and is already cautiously reopening ahead of its vital summer vacation period. Von der Leyen has stood by the EU strategy of her Commission being responsible for negotiating vaccine contracts for all member countries, despite early criticism that rollout was too slow. Europe is now debating with the United States over whether lifting patents on Covid vaccines could boost supplies to poorer countries. Also Read | EU calls on US, others to export vaccines, rather than talk about IP waiver The EU has so far sent more than 200 million doses to non-EU countries, while the United States has dispatched just 2.7 million to Mexico in what it describes as a "loan". The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, tweeted that "Europe’s role in the world is more critical today than ever as we fight Covid-19," adding that it "shows when we collaborate on common causes we are stronger together". The European Union is major contributor to Covax, a WHO-backed facility designed to get doses to mainly lower-income countries. (With inputs from agencies)

EU seals deal for more 1.8 billion Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine doses

Britain has granted full diplomatic status to the European Union's ambassador in London, ending a dispute that has strained relations between the two sides after Brexit.

Britain initially refused to grant the same diplomatic status and privileges to EU Ambassador Joao Vale de Almeida as it gives to envoys of other countries, on the basis that the EU is not a nation state.

The European Union responded by shutting the British ambassador in Brussels out of meetings. The disagreement was resolved after a meeting between Britain's foreign minister Dominic Raab and Josep Borrell, the bloc’s top diplomat, on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in London.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement together, based on goodwill and pragmatism," Raab said in a statement on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"The EU Ambassador will have a status consistent with heads of missions of states, including agrément and presentation of the credentials to the Head of State."

Under the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations, envoys representing countries have certain privileges such as immunity from detention and, in some cases prosecution, as well as tax exemptions.

Representatives of international organisations whose status is not covered by the convention tend to have limited and less clearly defined privileges.

The European Commission, the 27-member bloc’s executive body, said the EU’s 143 delegations around the world had all been granted a status equivalent to that of diplomatic missions of states.

Britain has granted full diplomatic status to the European Union's ambassador in London, ending a dispute that has strained relations between the two sides after Brexit.

Britain has granted full diplomatic status to the European Union's ambassador in London, ending a dispute that has strained relations between the two sides after Brexit. Britain initially refused to grant the same diplomatic status and privileges to EU Ambassador Joao Vale de Almeida as it gives to envoys of other countries, on the basis that the EU is not a nation state. The European Union responded by shutting the British ambassador in Brussels out of meetings. The disagreement was resolved after a meeting between Britain's foreign minister Dominic Raab and Josep Borrell, the bloc’s top diplomat, on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in London. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement together, based on goodwill and pragmatism," Raab said in a statement on Wednesday. "The EU Ambassador will have a status consistent with heads of missions of states, including agrément and presentation of the credentials to the Head of State." Under the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations, envoys representing countries have certain privileges such as immunity from detention and, in some cases prosecution, as well as tax exemptions. Representatives of international organisations whose status is not covered by the convention tend to have limited and less clearly defined privileges. The European Commission, the 27-member bloc’s executive body, said the EU’s 143 delegations around the world had all been granted a status equivalent to that of diplomatic missions of states.

Britain grants full diplomatic status to EU ambassador to London

The global community has decried the use of violence by security officers after several days of deadly protests. Close to 20 people have lost their lives and 846 wounded in the violence anti- government demonstrations.

EU, UN condemns Colombia crackdown, calls for calm in protests

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