Debate: Preparation of an EU Strategy on COVID- vaccination, including its external dimension
Date: WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2020
Speaker: Margaritis Schinas
Language: EN

Let me now address three specific issues where some of you have raised the need for further explanations from the Commission. Let me start first with the issue of confidentiality. We fully recognise the importance of transparency in this process. Transparency is a guiding principle in all our work in the Commission. It is publicly known with which companies we have been negotiating, what type of vaccines and the process through which we have been doing this together with our Member States, but it should be clear that we are indeed bound by the confidentiality clauses in these contracts. Disclosure of any confidential information at this moment in time could undermine the ongoing negotiations we have with other companies, and, as the European Union, we would need to keep as strong a negotiating position as possible.  We cannot unilaterally decide to disclose confidential information such as information on prices under these contracts unless the companies themselves agree to it, and we are in the middle of negotiations which are still ongoing. However, on many occasions Commissioner Kyriakides has confirmed to you in this House that the Commission is ready within the contractual constraints and according to the rules for transmission of confidential information to the European Parliament to make information from these contracts available to nominated Members of this Parliament with specific arrangements once the sensitive ongoing negotiations are concluded.  Another issue that has been raised by many of you is the issue of TRIPS and intellectual property protections. I want to repeat in this House that we will ensure that intellectual property rights are not an obstacle to the universal access to vaccines, including in developing countries that do not have the means to cope. Mr Lange asked for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, but I think my answer is pretty clear – that there is an ongoing discussion now in the WTO on the idea of a waiver of intellectual property rights and protections and there are also important flexibilities so that the relevant trade agreement – TRIPS – could allow us to reach the same objective. But, in any case, I want to assure everybody here that we are ready to continue this discussion so that nothing stands in the way and that more vaccines get to where they’re needed worldwide.  Finally, some of you have raised the issue of campaigns. Of course, we are very sensitive and we shall encourage our Member States to continue with their national plans and public information campaigns on vaccination. We will have our own European campaign, if you like, which will be unveiled in the days to come. We do not compete with our Member States on information, but I think we can provide a useful complement to this process. And to that extent we will not only explain factually the benefits of the vaccines that are put on the market, but we would also like to mobilise important role models, important known Europeans. Some UEFA players have already kindly accepted our invitation to participate in our European campaigns, so stay tuned for that.  The rollout of the vaccines is a challenge of historic dimensions. This is a historic moment, and after all the work we’ve been doing for months, I am convinced that we’ll get it right.