Boris Johnson urges EU to show ‘common sense’ and ditch threat to block exports of Covid vaccines to UK

THE PM yesterday tore into the EU for threatening to block the export of millions of Covid jabs to Britain.

Furious Boris Johnson urged the bloc to show common sense.

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He warned we expected the EU to honour contracts to provide tens of millions of doses.

The row came amid claims EU officials even begged AstraZeneca to divert vaccines from its UK factory to Brussels.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned the EU meant business about protecting its citizens.

But speaking at the No 10 press conference, Mr Johnson insisted: “I don’t want to see restrictions on vaccines or their ingredients across borders.”

The PM hailed the global efforts that went into creating vaccines produced by Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna.

He said the EU’s threat to block their export went against principles of multinational cooperation.

And he added: “The virus knows no borders.”

But Ms Von der Leyen, in a virtual speech to the Davos economic forum, declared: “Europe invested billions to help develop the world’s first Covid-19 vaccines, to create a truly global common good.

“And now, the companies must deliver.

"They must honour their obligations.

“This is why we will set up a vaccine export transparency mechanism. Europe is determined to contribute.

"But it also means business.”

The stand-off could plunge NHS supplies into crisis.

Britain has ordered 40million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, which is produced in Belgium.

We have also bought another 100million doses of the Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine, mainly produced in UK factories.

AstraZeneca is accused of supplying the UK with doses from stocks meant for Europe because we paid more.

According to one EU official, the bloc asked the company to divert doses produced in its British factory to the EU, for the month of March at least.

Astra denied the accusations. CEO Pascal Soriot told the Italian paper La Repubblica emotions were running high in the battle to beat Covid-19.

He pointed out Britain’s early vaccine approval meant the EU was three months behind on production and supply.

Mr Soriot said: “The suggestion we sell to other countries to make more money is not right because we make no profit everywhere.

"Governments are under pressure. Everybody is getting a bit aggravated or emotional about those things.

“We’re certainly not taking vaccines away from the Europeans to sell it somewhere else at a profit.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also hit out at the EU.

He told an event at the Chatham House policy institute: “I think protectionism is not the right approach in the middle of a pandemic.”

German health minister Jens Spahn called for an export restriction on vaccines to make sure Europe got its fair share.

He said: “This means vaccines that leave the EU need a licence so we know first of all what is produced in Europe, what leaves Europe, where it leaves Europe and whether this is a fair distribution.”

German officials were also caught out for falsely claiming the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine does not work on over-65s.

Eurocrats admit they are concerned about their slow jabs rollout. A spokesman said: “We are worried, that is for sure.”

A Commission spokesman demanded AstraZeneca send its doses to the EU.

He said: “We see that doses are being delivered elsewhere and we know we’ve signed an agreement with AstraZeneca.”

The Government says it has total confidence in its supplies.