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The EU wants to more closely control its vaccine exports. Because the complicated border between Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland comes into focus, the outcry is large. Brussels gives in quickly, but the damage may already be done.
In the vaccine dispute with Britain, the EU has tried to smooth things over again. “Constructive talks with Prime Minister Boris Johnson,” Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen tweeted on Saturday night. “In principle, we have agreed that there should be no restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies if they comply with their contractual obligations.”
In response to massive cuts in delivery from vaccine maker Astrazeneca, the EU wants to more closely monitor how much of the EU-produced vaccine is exported. In an initial statement, however, it sounded as if Brussels wanted to carry out border controls between Ireland and Northern Ireland for this project and thus activate an emergency mechanism of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. The move, which was apparently not coordinated with Dublin or London, sparked outrage in Britain and especially Northern Ireland. With this step, the EU likely wanted to protect itself against unregulated doses of vaccines arriving in Britain through Northern Ireland as a back door.
The Northern Ireland Protocol “will remain intact”
The European Union and the United Kingdom have only one land border, which stretches between the EU member state Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. However, in the course of the Brexit negotiations, it was agreed that controls should not be carried out on this border in order not to jeopardize the fragile peace in the former civil war region of Northern Ireland.
It wasn’t until Friday night that the EU Commission relented and promised in a statement that it would leave the Northern Ireland Protocol “intact” on its vaccine export controls. The protection measures clause of the protocol will not be activated. In the previous hours, the dispute had turned into a diplomatic crisis between London and Brussels. Boris Johnson spoke of “serious concern” Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster even called it an “act of hostility”.. Despite the EU’s rapid retreat, events are likely to leave their mark on the already tense relations between the two sides and will not facilitate the fight for the precious corona vaccine.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who had previously spoken to Johnson by phone, also tweeted that she had agreed with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin a “satisfactory way” to monitor vaccine exports. More details should be announced later this Saturday.
