Distribution of vaccines to third countries under the COVAX programme

Subject: Distribution of vaccines to third countries under the COVAX programme

In her State of the Union address, the President of the European Commission claimed that the EU distributed 700 million vaccines in 2021, to more than 130 countries, and promised to distribute a further 200 million by the middle of this year. At the same time, up to EUR 3 billion would be made available for the COVAX programme1. However, according to UN sources, by September 2021, only 42 million of the 700 million doses pledged by the end of that year had made it to Africa.2

Meanwhile, the EU continues to block the proposed patent waiver tabled by South Africa and India at the World Trade Organization, a move that not only reflects a lack of real solidarity but also hampers a truly global vaccination rollout to fight the negative effects of COVID-19.

In view of the above:

1. How many vaccines (broken down by region and country) has the EU distributed to third countries through COVAX?

2. What conditions or guarantees are required of beneficiary countries?

3. Given the spread of the disease, is the Commission considering proposing a patent waiver for the COVID-19 vaccines?

1 https://www.eib.org/en/press/news/eib-responds-with-eur300m-to-boost-covid-vaccine-deliveries

2 https://www.investigate-europe.eu/en/2021/eu-negotiators-covid-19-vaccine-price-moderna-

pfizer/?pk_campaign=mailjet&pk_kwd=Portuguese%20Alert%20-

%20Vaccine%20prices&pk_source=newsletter

Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

(12 May 2022)

The President of the Commission informed about EU vaccine sharing in 2021 and the targets for 2022 in her address of 6 January 2022 (3).

The EU promised to share 250 million doses with low and middle-income countries by the end of 2021 and exceeded this target by sharing in fact 380 million doses, mostly through COVAX. The next target is to share a total of 700 million doses by mid-2022.

By 28 March 2022, EU Member States shared a total of 405.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, of which 344.1 million to Gavi for distribution via the COVAX mechanism. Of those doses, 291.5 had already been delivered on the ground in recipient countries, and the remainder is in the pipeline for delivery.

Main beneficiary regions for the EU’s donations via COVAX are the African continent (140.4 million) and Asia and the Pacifics (114.7 million). European neighbourhood regions received 35.5 million via COVAX. The decisions about the allocation of vaccine doses shared to Gavi to recipient countries is the sole responsibility of Gavi.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) facilitated a discussion on the role of intellectual property in enhancing global access to COVID-19 vaccines with the EU, South Africa, India and the United States.

This process resulted in a compromise outcome that needs to be confirmed for further proceeding by governments of the ‘quad’ (the EU has already given its green light) and then agreed by the broader WTO Membership.

The outcome would allow Members to rapidly authorise a company to manufacture and export COVID-19 vaccines, which would facilitate the production and supply of vaccines in Africa.

⋅1∙ https://www.eib.org/en/press/news/eib-responds-with-eur300m-to-boost-covid-vaccine-deliveries

⋅2∙ https://www.investigate-europe.eu/en/2021/eu-negotiators-covid-19-vaccine-price-moderna-pfizer/?pk_campaign=mailjet&pk_kwd=Portuguese%20Alert%20-

%20Vaccine%20prices&pk_source=newsletter

⋅3∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_22_121