The EU continues to oppose international calls for the release of COVID‑19 vaccine patents
21.4.2021
Priority question for written answer P-002162/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Stelios Kouloglou (The Left)
A major international initiative involving dozens of organisations, including more than 60 former heads of state and government and 100 Nobel laureates, has called on US President Joe Biden to exclude COVID‑19 vaccines from international copyright rules.
The release of patents would directly help to accelerate the problematic vaccination programme in the EU and tackle the pandemic in the poorest countries. This is necessary in order to achieve international justice, but also for the ongoing treatment of the virus in developed countries. A similar proposal has been tabled by the President of the World Health Organization.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakidis has said that ‘we do not think this is the way forward, but there are several options on the table being discussed[1]’.
- 1.What are the reasons for opposing this international proposal and what other options are there?
- 2.When the development of a vaccine is financed by significant EU resources, is it treated as a commodity or a public good?
- 3.Some of these vaccines are being either completely or partially withdrawn by Member States. How much money has been awarded to vaccine companies and does the Commission intend to claim a refund for vaccines that have proven ineffective?
- [1] https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-council-presidency/news/kyriakides-lifting-patents-is-not-way-forward-to-produce-more-vaccines/