Question for written answer E-001439/2021/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 138 Paolo Borchia (ID), Simona Baldassarre (ID), Matteo Adinolfi (ID), Alessandra Basso (ID), Massimo Casanova (ID), Danilo Oscar Lancini (ID), Rosanna Conte (ID), Angelo Ciocca (ID), Valentino Grant (ID), Marco Dreosto (ID), Elena Lizzi (ID), Alessandro Panza (ID), Antonio Maria Rinaldi (ID), Isabella Tovaglieri (ID), Lucia Vuolo (ID), Stefania Zambelli (ID), Marco Zanni (ID), Annalisa Tardino (ID), Mara Bizzotto (ID), Silvia Sardone (ID), Marco Campomenosi (ID)

Subject: Exportation of EU-produced vaccines outside the Union

According to press reports, as at 9 March the EU had allowed the export of a total of 34 090 287 vaccine doses to at least 31 third countries, including 9 106 162 to the UK, 3 917 640 to Canada, 3 134 204 to Mexico, 2 720 210 to Japan, 1 368 900 to Saudi Arabia, 1.3 million to Hong Kong and 953 723 to the USA.

On 9 March the President of the European Council stated that the exporting of vaccines outside the Union was the result not only of business decisions made by the producing companies but also of a political strategy put in place by the European institutions to supply countries outside Europe with doses produced within the EU.

Can the Commission therefore answer the following questions:

1. Can it confirm the accuracy of the above information?

2. Does it acknowledge that the delegation of powers from the Member States to the Commission to coordinate the procurement of vaccines was intended to ensure the Member States themselves had adequate supplies and not for possible exports outside the EU?

3. How does it justify its support for the vaccine exports given the serious difficulties faced by the Member States in obtaining enough doses to vaccinate their own citizens?

Supporter1

1 This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Gianantonio Da Re (ID)

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