EU invites ‘concrete’ US plan on vaccine patents

EU invites ‘concrete’ US plan on vaccine patents

PORTO, Portugal: Europe yesterday passed the ball back to Washington in a debate over COVID vaccine patents, pushing the US for a concrete proposal and a commitment to export much-needed jabs. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking after a summit of EU and Indian leaders, said the EU had exported much of its own production and that America should follow suit.

“Now that a further part of the American population has been vaccinated, I hope that we can come to a free exchange of components and an opening of the market for vaccines,” she said. European Council chief Charles Michel said the bloc was ready to discuss a US offer to suspend patent protection on vaccines-once the details are clear. “We are ready to engage on this topic, as soon as a concrete proposal would be put on the table,” Michel said at an EU summit in Portugal that discussed that subject, among others.

He added that the EU had doubts about the idea being a “magic bullet” in the short term and encouraged “all the partners to facilitate the export of doses.” France’s skepticism was plain, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring “patents are not the priority”. A debate on the issue could