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EU adopts coronavirus vaccine export control scheme; approves AstraZeneca vaccine

EU adopts coronavirus vaccine export control scheme; approves AstraZeneca vaccine

Vaccination in Madrid

European Union(EU) today approved AstraZeneca vaccine for all those over 18 years old even as the European Commission launched a scheme to monitor exports of vaccines produced in EU plants.

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"We paid these companies to increase production and now we expect them to deliver," EU Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said, adding, "Today's measure has been adopted with the utmost urgency. The aim is to provide us immediately with full transparency ... And if needed, it also will provide us with a tool to ensure vaccine deliveries."

The European Commission had earlier published a redacted version of its contract with AstraZeneca after row over vaccine delivery.

AstraZeneca's CEO Pascal Soriot had said deliveries of the vaccine in Europe were hit due to glitches in its Belgian plant. The row erupted after reports said Britain had signed its contract three months earlier than Brussels angering EU.

Several countries in the EU have been hit with shortage of vaccines leading to a halt in vaccination drive even as the continent battles the virus.

AstraZeneca and the EU had signed a deal for up to 400 million doses of the vaccine, however, last week, the firm announced production cuts of up to 60 per cent to the European body due to problems in its Belgian factory.

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