EU light touch paper of another round of medical protection, Hebei Longsheng
| The European Commission has implemented an export authorization scheme for SARS-COV-2 vaccines covering drugs bought under the Accelerated Purchase Program. That follows a delay in ramping up shipments from AstraZeneca even as the firm’s U.K. plant ran as expected. While the measure is not an export ban per se it is likely to drive a new round of medical protectionism. The U.S. and China accounted for 44.5% and 11.1% respectively of the EU’s vaccine exports in the 12 months to Oct. 31. Exports of vaccines to the U.K., mostly linked to seasonal flu, declined by 61.6% year over year in the three months to Oct. 31. An early casualty could in theory be Belgian exports of Pfizer’s vaccine to the U.K., though EC President Ursula von der Leyen has stated that is not planned. The EU, U.S. and U.K. can likely supply their own vaccine requirements. Protectionism is more likely to hurt emerging markets. Mexico could be in a difficult position given the EU represented 57.0% of its vaccine product imports in the 12 months to Nov. 30, led by shipments linked to Sanofi and Pfizer, while the U.S. accounted for a further 10.0% and India 27.7%. By Hebei Longsheng Metals & Minerals Co,. Ltd. |
