Britain summons EU diplomat over accusation it banned COVID-19 vaccine exports

Britain denied an accusation on Wedneday by the European Union that it had banned exports of COVID-19 vaccines, and summoned an EU diplomat to complain.

Britain, which quit the EU last year, has provided vaccine doses to more than a third of its population, far outpacing the 27 remaining EU members.

They, in turn, have been casting blame on drug companies for failing to meet delivery targets, including AstraZeneca, which makes COVID-19 vaccines both in Britain and the EU and has declined to divert British doses to the bloc to meet a shortfall there.

The EU says it has allowed millions of doses of Pfizer vaccines, which Britain does not make, to be exported there.

On Tuesday, European Council President Charles Michel said Britain, like the United States, had “outright” banned exports of vaccines produced on its territory.

London says it has no such ban, and credits the success of its vaccine programme to strong negotiations with drug companies last year and early investment in supply chains. EU officials say London has effectively prevented exports of AstraZeneca vaccines by invoking a clause in its contract that requires the company to fulfil Britain’s order first.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament he had to “correct” Michel’s suggestion. His government had “not blocked the export of any single COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine components”, he said.

The foreign office said it had summoned EU charge d’affaires Nicole Mannion “to discuss the issue of incorrect assertions in recent EU communications”.