Covid news – live: EU withdraws controversial plan for vaccine export controls at Irish border

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The EU has backed down over its controversial plan to use a Brexit clause to stop Covid vaccines crossing the Irish border amid the ongoing row over jab supplies.

Downing Street had demanded an urgent explanation after the European Commission said it would trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to ensure all citizens of the bloc have access to jabs and maintain transparency.

However the move was widely condemned across the UK and Ireland - with both Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party describing the move as “totally ill judged” and '"an incredible act of hostility".

The Commission later confirmed that it would not trigger Article 16 but warned that it would consider taking action if attempts were made to circumvent export controls imposed on vaccines produced within the bloc. The dispute began after AstraZeneca announced it would reduce its initial supplies of vaccines to the EU by 60 per cent.

It came as the European Medicines Agency granted authorisation for the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the EU on Friday.

Meanwhile, a fourth Covid-19 vaccine could be approved for use in the UK in a matter of weeks after clinical trials showed the Novavax candidate was 89 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus.

The Novavax jab, which will be produced on Teesside, will now be assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The UK has secured 60 million doses of the vaccine, which is believed to offer protection against emerging variants, such as the new UK and South African strains.

• Tony Blair calls for world to come together to fight Covid
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• Does the new coronavirus strain have the same symptoms as the first?
• The vaccine bust-up between Britain and the EU is a lose-lose situation - but is it a sign of things to come?

Key Points

• EU forced to withdraw Northern Ireland threat in vaccines row
• UK demands urgent explanation over export controls at Irish border
• France closes borders to travellers from outside the EU
• Novavax vaccine 89% effective in preventing Covid, preliminary analysis finds
• Macron labels AstraZeneca jab ‘quasi-ineffective’ on older people – hours before EMA approves it
• Covid infections level off across UK, figures show
• UK bans flights from UAE

[29 January 2021 22:19 · Peter Stubley]

Barnier criticises ‘spirit of oneupmanship’ over vaccines

Former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has called for “cooperation” between the EU and the UK over the supply of Covid vaccines.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Barnier said: "We are facing an extraordinarily serious crisis, which is creating a lot of suffering, which is causing a lot of deaths in the UK, in France, in Germany, everywhere.

"And I believe we must face this crisis with responsibility, certainly not with the spirit of oneupmanship or unhealthy competition."

He added: "I recommend preserving the spirit of co-operation between us."

[29 January 2021 22:15 · Peter Stubley]

EU withdraws Article 16 plan - reports

While there is no official EU statement yet, Sky News are reporting that the European Commission are un-triggering Article 16 after mounting criticism of the decision. 

[29 January 2021 22:01 · Peter Stubley]

PM raises concerns over ‘potential impact’ of Article 16

Boris Johnson has also raised his concerns with EU Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen, according to Downing Street

A No10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to EU Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen this evening.

"He expressed his grave concerns about the potential impact which the steps the EU has taken today on vaccine exports could have."

[29 January 2021 21:55 · Peter Stubley]

‘It was an error’ - EU officials

Reporters in Brussels are saying the European Commission will soon withdraw their decision to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

[29 January 2021 21:48 · Peter Stubley]

‘Totally ill judged’ and ‘an incredible act of hostility’

Political leaders in Northern Ireland have united to condemn the bid by Brussels to block Covid-19 vaccines from crossing the Irish border.

The EU triggered Article 16 of Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol to prevent the region from being used as a back door to funnel coronavirus vaccine into the rest of the UK.

Stormont first minister Arlene Foster branded the EU's triggering of as an "incredible act of hostility" while deputy first minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill said it was a “totally ill judged move”

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the move had been "a grave error of judgment" and Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry said the EU's decision was “completely unjustified and unwarranted.” Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said: “For weeks now we have been told that Article 16 cannot be invoked accompanied by all sorts of feeble excuses for not doing so. The EU has unilaterally blown that concept out of the water by invoking Article 16.”

[29 January 2021 21:35 · Peter Stubley]

PM says ‘EU must urgently clarify its intentions’

Boris Johnson has raised his concerns about the EU’s decision to impose export controls on coronavirus vaccines during a phone call with Irish premier Micheal Martin.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The prime minister this evening had a constructive discussion with the taoiseach Micheal Martin.

"The PM set out his concerns about the EU's use of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and what these actions may mean for the two communities in Northern Ireland.

"The PM stressed the UK's enduring commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and said the EU must urgently clarify its intentions and what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured.

"The PM stressed the UK's commitment to working together with other countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic."

[29 January 2021 21:29 · Peter Stubley]

EU under pressure over NI protocol

With the outcry growing over the EU’s decision, there are reports that the European Commission is seeking to back down from triggering Article 16.

Another explanation being suggested is that the article was “triggered inadvertently” by someone who didn’t realise the implications - despite months, if not years of Brexit wrangling over that very issue.

[29 January 2021 21:24 · Peter Stubley]

France closes borders to non-EU travel from Sunday

France is to close its borders to people arriving from outside the European Union from Sunday in a bid to stop the spread of new variants of the coronavirus.

Transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari tweeted: "Travel between France and non-EU countries will be banned from Sunday unless there is a compelling reason.

“This measure does not apply to road drivers between France and the United Kingdom, subject to a specific scheme.”

[29 January 2021 21:04 · Peter Stubley]

UK demands explanation from EU over vaccine controls

The UK government is demanding an urgent explanation from the EU over its decision to place controls on Coronavirus vaccines crossing the Irish border.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The UK Government is urgently seeking an explanation from the European Commission about the statements issued by the EU today and assurances as to its intentions.

"The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts.

"The UK Government has reiterated the importance of preserving the benefits of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the commitments that have been made to the two communities."

[29 January 2021 21:00 · Samuel Osborne]

EU ‘need to work together with others’, Archbishop of Canterbury says

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the EU "need to work together with others" as the government considers action after the bloc imposed export controls on coronavirus vaccines and impinged on the post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland.

"The European Union was originally inspired by Christian social teaching - at the heart of which is solidarity," Justin Welby tweeted.

"Seeking to control the export of vaccines undercuts the EU's basic ethics. They need to work together with others."