Von der Leyen defends delays in securing vaccinations, defends need to ensure European unity
6402 Mins Read
The European Union has underestimated how hard it would be for pharmaceutical companies to manufacture coronavirus vaccines on a vast scale, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that hurdles are likely to continue.
“A start of vaccination does not mean a seamless flow of vaccine doses coming from the industry,” the European Commission president said in an interview with a number of news organisations. “This is a bitter learning part, and this we certainly have underestimated.”
She added that manufacturing the jab will continue to be uneven over the coming months as companies grapple with the ever-present risk of shortages in raw materials and other components.
Asked why the UK is vastly ahead in terms of vaccinations, the former German defence Minister said: “I am aware that alone a country can be a speedboat, while the EU is more like a tanker. Before concluding a contract with a pharmaceutical company, the 27 member states had five full days to say whether they agreed or not.
“This naturally delays the process. Indeed, we must constantly put pressure on ourselves so that each step of the decision-making process is as fast and efficient as possible” she added.
Still, she defended the European approach: “ I am absolutely convinced that the European approach is the right one. On these vaccines, we worked faster than usual. I can’t even imagine what it would have meant for Europe in terms of unity, if one or more member states had access to vaccines and not the others.”
