EU vaccine row: Boris Johnson discusses stand-off with Macron and Merkel

EU leaders to discuss possible export ban at summit on Thursday

Boris Johnson has spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to end the stand-off with the EU over coronavirus vaccine

The calls on Sunday came as Brussels threatened to impose an export ban on doses of vaccine produced in the 27-nation bloc, where inoculation rates are lagging well behind those in the UK.

Downing Street refused to confirm the calls, which follow earlier phone conversations by the prime minister with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Belgian PM Alexander de Croo.

But a French official said that the call to Macron was placed at Mr Johnson’s request and that the French president had no adviser with him as they spoke about vaccine supplies.

Under normal circumstances, 10 Downing Street issues the media with a readout summarising the content of phone conversations by the prime minister with foreign leaders. But on this occasion, the existence of the calls was revealed by sources overseas and No 10 made no comment. 

Mr Johnson today sought to calm tensions threatening to lead to so-called “vaccine wars” – saying he was “reassured” that the EU did not “want to see blockades”.

Amid growing public anger on the continent at the EU’s sluggish vaccination programme, leaders of the member states are due to discuss a possible ban on exports to the UK at a summit on Thursday.

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The European Commission, which has coordinated the order of vaccines for the 27 EU countries, said the key point was reciprocity. It had exported some 35 million doses since the end of January, including 10 million to Britain, but Britain had exported none, despite two UK facilities featuring in the EU contract with drugs giant AstraZeneca.

One EU official pointed the finger of accusation at AZ, which produces the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine at facilities in the Netherlands and UK.

“The UK is not to blame. The EU is not to blame,” the official told news agency Reuters. “It’s about everyone finding agreement with a company that has been over-selling its production capacity. AstraZeneca has to deliver doses to its EU customers.”

A spokeswoman for AstraZeneca refused to discuss the controversy or to give information about forthcoming supply plans.

The EU has so far administered vaccine shots to only 13 per cent of its population, compared to 44 per cent in the UK - the equivalent of more than half of Britain’s adults.

And countries including Germany, France and Italy have seen rises in cases in recent weeks, fuelling concern about a possible third wave of the pandemic on the continent.

Mr Johnson warned that the UK cannot isolate itself from increases in infections across the Channel.

“You can see sadly there is a third wave underway,” said the PM during a visit to BAE Systems in Preston.

“And people in this country should be under no illusions that previous experience has taught us that, when a wave hits our friends, I’m afraid it washes up on our shores as well.”

The comment is likely to raise eyebrows as EU nations say the growing case numbers are largely the so-called Kent variant – which originated in the UK.

Mr Johnson insisted that – despite the worsening picture across the Channel – “we will just bash on the with the roadmap we set out, with the programme we’ve got”.

“We’re getting on with our vaccination programme as fast as we can, but a vaccination campaign and developing vaccines, rolling them out – these are international projects and they require international co-operation,” he added.

On the Brussels’ threat to block exports to the UK – ahead of likely talks with national leaders in the coming days – Mr Johnson played down the conflict.

“I’m reassured by talking to EU partners over the last few months that they don’t want to see blockades, I think that’s very important,” he said, speaking at BAE Systems in Preston

“Clearly what matters to us in the UK is we get on with the rollout of the vaccine programme. I think we’ve now done over half the adults in the country, which is very good news.

“We’re on course to do everybody in priority groups 1-4, they’ve been done, but groups 1-9, all the over 50s, by April 15 – and then we’ll just bash on with the roadmap we’ve set out.”

The European Commission took the first step in a dispute procedure by sending a legal letter to AstraZeneca.

“What our position is, is that we expect AstraZeneca to deliver the doses to the European Union that have been contracted. Contacts are ongoing with the company,” chief Commission spokesman Eric Mamer told a news conference.

He said the European Union was also in talks with Britain on the issue, but did not give further details.

While France, Germany and Italy support tighter export curbs on countries which do not reciprocate, others including the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland are more cautious about cutting off the UK.

Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin said any EU restrictions on vaccine exports would be a “retrograde step”

An EU official said on Sunday that Brussels was opposing the export of vaccine doses from a plant in the Netherlands to the UK.

“The Brits are insisting that the Halix plant in the Netherlands must deliver the drug substance produced there to them. That doesn’t work,” the official said.

The Leiden-based plant, run by sub-contractor Halix, is listed as a supplier of vaccines in contracts that AstraZeneca has signed with both the UK and the EU.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman declined to comment on whether Britain was considering retaliatory measures in the case of an export ban.

“I am not going to get into hypotheticals but our position is clear is that we do not want to see countries placing export restrictions on vaccinations,” he said.