Australia to discuss covid-19 vaccine exports from Europe

The European Union restricted exports of Covid-19 vaccines should be eased for Australia, Trade Minister Dan Tehan said.

The Australian top trade official will have face-to-face talks with his counterparts in Germany, France and Brussels. He is set to visit the EU from April 15 to discuss the supply of EU-produced covid-19 vaccines that Australia has contracted.

In an emailed statement, Mr Tehan said that he will also meet with European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss to progress free-trade agreement negotiations.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has been criticized by the main opposition Labor party for falling about three million doses short so far on a previously promised timeline. Thus, the additional vaccines supply from the EU will be extremely important- and even vital- for the country. Health Minister Greg Hunt echoed PM’s efforts to diversify the sources of a vaccine.