EU to implement tighter controls on Covid vaccine exports - will the UK Pfizer supply be affected?

By Rhona Shennan
Published 26th Jan 2021, 09:36 BST
Updated 26th Jan 2021, 09:38 BST
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine supply could be impacted by these new restrictions (Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine supply could be impacted by these new restrictions (Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine supply could be impacted by these new restrictions (Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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The European Union (EU) has threatened to implement tighter controls on the export of Covid-19 vaccines made in the bloc, which could potentially impact the UK’s supply of Pfizer jabs.

The UK government has said that it is in “close contact” with suppliers after the European Commission issued the warning.

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Tighter controls for Covid-19 vaccine exports

The threat comes amid a row with Covid-19 vaccine developer AstraZeneca over a shortfall of doses for member states.

Facing criticism of a slow rollout of vaccines in the EU, the European Commission has announced the potential for controls on vaccines, which could affect the Pfizer vaccine which is manufactured in Belgium.

European health commissioner Stella Kyriakides accused AstraZeneca of failing to issue a valid explanation for failing to deliver doses to the bloc.

AstraZeneca announced on Friday (24 Jan) that it would be cutting its deliveries of the AstraZeneca/Oxford