Europe’s vaccine campaign has hit a crisis of confidence. Just as the coronavirus pandemic appears to be setting off a new wave of infections, leading European countries have paused the rollout of the AstraZeneca/ Oxford University two-dose vaccine following isolated reports of blood clots. Naturally, any adverse affects must be thoroughly investigated, but this is a race against time, and the virus isn’t waiting around. European leaders must get the vaccine train back on track—and fast.
More than a dozen countries, including Germany, France, Italy and Spain, temporarily suspended the AstraZeneca rollout after reports last week that some people in Denmark and Norway who got a dose had developed blood clots. There was no evidence that the shot caused them. The company says that out of 17 million doses given in Britain and Europe as of March 8, there were only 37 incidents of blood clots, less than what would be expected to occur naturally in a population of this size.
The governments insisted they were acting out of an abundance of caution, with a goal of keeping public trust. But the European Medicines Agency urged the governments not to halt use of the vaccine at a time when the pandemic is still taking thousands of lives each day, saying the benefits outweighed any possible risk.
European vaccine uptake is already lagging. In the European Union, just 11 doses for every 100 people have been administered, compared with 32 in the United States and 38 in Britain. The AstraZeneca vaccine is based on conventional viral-vector technology, like the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but has been buffeted by problems, including questions about the clinical trial data, doubts raised (and later determined to be unfounded) about whether it would work for those older than 65, and a shortfall of the supply promised to the EU.
The “pause” in the vaccine rollout may well deepen doubts about getting the shot. That is the last thing Europe needs. Weekly infection rates are high in the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, France and elsewhere. The vaccine is a bulwark against the pandemic, but only if people are vaccinated.
A lesson of this moment is that no medicine is 100 percent safe and effective. The flu vaccine must be reformulated every year to cope with mutations. Despite widespread use of the measles vaccine, outbreaks still occur.
Europe has an enormous job ahead to vaccinate tens of millions. Everyone should expect speed bumps, be vigilant for serious problems—but avoid panic.
BRUSSELS. KAZINFORM - EU Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian has congratulated all Kazakhstanis on Nauryz holiday, Kazinform correspondent reports.
«I wholeheartedly congratulate all Kazakhstanis on Nauryz holiday. I wish people of Kazakhstan happiness, prosperity, and health» Peter Burian extended his congratulations in Kazakh.
«Dear friends, on behalf of the European Union I wish you a Happy Nauryz. Nauryz holiday has a special meaning and symbolism today when our countries are facing COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. I wanted to use this opportunity and reassured you that the European Union wants to continue to be a strong partner for Kazakhstan in good times, but also in difficult times», the EU Special Representative for Central Asia continued.
ATHENS, Greece — The interior ministers of the five Mediterranean countries on the front line of mass migration to Europe want their EU partners to share the burden more equitably.
“We can no longer be punished for our geographical position,” Malta’s Byron Camilleri said Saturday, summing up his position and that of his colleagues from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain after they met in Athens.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas joined part of the meeting, Schinas is coordinating the commission’s work to revise the European Union’s pact on migration and asylum.
Ministers from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain created a “MED 5” group last year in an effort to present a united front and influence the new EU pact.
Their demands are threefold: better cooperation with the countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia where most Europe-bound migrants and asylum-seekers come from; greater willingness by other EU member nations to accept newly arrived migrants; and a centralized European repatriation mechanism overseen by the EU’s executive commission.
More than a thousand people protested in solidarity with migrants and refugees in the center of Athens on Saturday.
Southern European countries with extensive coastlines have borne the brunt of arriving asylum-seekers hoping to enter the EU. Most Europe-bound migrants travel by boat on dangerous smuggling routes, either from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands or across the Mediterranean from north Africa.
The ministers discussed whether Turkey played an active role in pushing migrants toward Europe in contravention of a 2016 migration-control effort between the EU and Turkey.
The interior ministers of the five Mediterranean countries on the front line of mass migration to Europe want their EU partners to share the burden more equitably.
“We can no longer be punished for our geographical position,” Malta’s Byron Camilleri said Saturday, summing up his position and that of his colleagues from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain after they met in Athens.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas joined part of the meeting, Schinas is coordinating the commission’s work to revise the European Union’s pact on migration and asylum.
MED 5
Ministers from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain created a “MED 5” group last year in an effort to present a united front and influence the new EU pact.
Their demands are threefold: better cooperation with the countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia where most Europe-bound migrants and asylum-seekers come from; greater willingness by other EU member nations to accept newly arrived migrants; and a centralised European repatriation mechanism overseen by the EU’s executive commission.
Southern European countries with extensive coastlines have borne the brunt of arriving asylum-seekers hoping to enter the EU. Most Europe-bound migrants travel by boat on dangerous maritime smuggling routes, either from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands or across the Mediterranean from north Africa.
The ministers discussed whether Turkey played an active role in pushing migrants toward Europe in contravention of a 2016 migration-control between the EU and Turkey.
Frontex
Cyprus’ interior minister, Nikos Nouris, said most of the migrants arriving in his country enter from the Turkish Cypriot-controlled northern part of the island nation. He called for Turkey to accept inspections on its southern shoreline by Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency.
At one point last year, Turkey’s president said his government would no longer discourage migrants from trying to cross the border into Greece.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
From left, Greece’s Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi, Interior Minister of Spain Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Italy’s Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, Cyprus’ Interior Minister Nicos Nouris and Byron Camilleri, Malta’s Interior Minister make statements following their meeting in Athens. The ministers of Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, which are on the front line of migration flows into Europe have met in Athens to discuss the European Union’s migration policy as the bloc works toward a new migration pact.
ATHENS, Greece >> The interior ministers of the five Mediterranean countries on the front line of mass migration to Europe want their EU partners to share the burden more equitably.
“We can no longer be punished for our geographical position,” Malta’s Byron Camilleri said Saturday, summing up his position and that of his colleagues from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain after they met in Athens.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas joined part of the meeting, Schinas is coordinating the commission’s work to revise the European Union’s pact on migration and asylum.
Ministers from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain created a “MED 5” group last year in an effort to present united front and influence the new EU pact.
Their demands are threefold: better cooperation with the countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia where most Europe-bound migrants and asylum-seekers come from; greater willingness by other EU member nations to accept newly arrived migrants; and a centralized European repatriation mechanism overseen by the EU’s executive commission.
Southern European countries with extensive coastlines have borne the brunt of arriving asylum-seekers hoping to enter the EU. Most Europe-bound migrants travel by boat on dangerous maritime smuggling routes, either from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands or across the Mediterranean from north Africa.
The ministers discussed whether Turkey played an active role in pushing migrants toward Europe in contravention of a 2016 migration-control between the EU and Turkey.
Cyprus’ interior minister, Nikos Nouris, said most of the migrants arriving in his country enter from the the Turkish Cypriot-controlled northern part of the island nation. He called for Turkey to accept inspections on its southern shoreline by Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency.
At one point last year, Turkey’s president said his government would no longer discourage migrants from trying to cross the border into Greece.
Click here to see our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. Submit your coronavirus news tip.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said drugmaker AstraZeneca could face a ban on exports of coronavirus vaccine doses it produces in the EU if it did not meet its delivery obligations.
She told Germany’s Funke Media Group in an interview published Saturday that the EU had the “possibility” to ban exports. “This is a message to AstraZeneca: You fulfill your part of the deal toward Europe before you start to deliver to other countries,” she said.
On Wednesday, von der Leyen had already said that the EU was prepared to use the mechanisms it had in place to stop exports of vaccines from the bloc destined to countries that were producing their own doses and not exporting them in turn. She suggested that this was principally the U.K., as the U.S. was not importing doses, and was allowing for a free flow of vaccine ingredients.
BRUSSELS: As the European Union looks forward to a fresh start with the United States under a new president, it is riddled with doubts over another transatlantic relationship.
A trade pact struck in 2019 with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay after two decades of talks promised to be the EU’s largest deal, with the removal of 4 billion euros (US$4.8 billion) of import tariffs on its products.
But two years later, it is unclear when – or whether – it will enter force due to Europe‘s concerns over Amazon deforestation and scepticism about Brazil’s commitment to tackling climate change under President Jair Bolsonaro.
The doubts are amplified by a new EU trade strategy unveiled in February that says would-be partners of the world’s richest trade bloc should uphold standards on the environment and labour rights.
While few noticed when the EU began talks with Mercosur in 1999, scrutiny of trade deals has since intensified, particularly after the bloc launched Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations with the United States in 2013, drawing mass protests.
The EU seeks greater cooperation with the United States on trade now U.S. President Joe Biden has replaced Donald Trump, but TTIP talks, suspended in 2016, will not be revived.
The Mercosur saga is being closely watched by other potential partners, aware that an investment accord agreed with China in December also faces close inspection.
“Trade is hard enough as it is. These extra issues just make it more difficult for the EU to do deals with anyone else,” said David Henig, a director at pro-free trade think tank ECIPE.
Apart from Australia and New Zealand, there were no “easy deals” left on the horizon for the EU, Henig said, noting potentially tough negotiations to come with ASEAN countries, including Indonesia and the Philippines.
AUSTRIA’S “NO TO MERCOSUR”
Portugal, with close ties to South America, made concluding the deal a priority of its presidency of EU affairs in the first half of 2021, saying Europe’s credibility was at stake.
A trade accord needs backing from the European Parliament and EU members to enter force and far from all are convinced.
France and Ireland, both beef producers wary of meat imports, threatened to block the deal months after it was agreed, as fires ripped through Brazil’s rainforest.
Austria has since taken the lead. “No to Mercosur” is written into its new government accord and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, a Green, wrote to Portugal’s prime minister this month, saying Austria would “do its utmost” to oppose the deal.
Brazil’s agriculture minister Tereza Cristina Dias and the vice president Hamilton Mourao say environmental concerns are a mask for European protectionism. But both sides recognise the agreement will not pass in its current form.
Brazil, the fifth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, has aggressive long-term plans to cut emissions and curb deforestation, but Bolsonaro’s weakening of environmental enforcement has shaken confidence they can be reached.
Critics say 15 pages in the existing Mercosur text on labour and the environment lack teeth. The European Commission now proposes securing clearer commitments.
It won broad support from EU countries for the idea this month. Mercosur countries say they are awaiting a text on climate change and deforestation.
One Mercosur diplomat, asking not to be named, cautioned it should be balanced, not just list EU demands.
FRANCE, BRAZIL ELECTIONS IN 2022
The European Parliament wants a commitment to monitoring and enforcement of universal standards and clear consequences for violations.
“Without this, then it would be problematic. There are some critical voices in more or less every political group,” Bernd Lange, chair of the parliament’s trade committee, said.
The parliament rejected a multi-country anti-counterfeiting trade agreement on counterfeiting in 2012, but Lange said the parliament preferred to improve than to reject deals.
“It’s now up to the negotiation process to find a solution.”
What awaits are renewed talks with an unclear end date.
French Trade Minister Frank Riester has said France wants, for example, to see what Brazil will do at the United Nations climate change conference in November, giving France the chance to push the deal in early 2022 when it has the EU presidency.
However, that would coincide with French President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign for re-election in a potentially tight race, in which a Mercosur deal could cost him support.
Some advise waiting even further into next year, with Brazil’s presidential election due in October.
A diplomat of one would-be partner said the Mercosur experience had shown the European Union had become a challenging partner with which to do a trade deal. The lesson drawn was to try to resolve all issues up front to avoid being dragged into a second round of “quasi-negotiations”.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Jake Spring and Anthony Boadle in Brasilia, Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Mark John and Barbara Lewis)
The family-based criminal group was forcing its victims to prostitute themselves on the streets of Girona in Spain
On 9 March, Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Service of Countering Organised Criminality Giurgiu within the Romanian Police (Poliția Română) in a hit against an organised crime group involved in sexual exploitation.
The suspects belonged to a family-based criminal group composed of Romanian nationals. They recruited the victims from Romania, luring them to Spain with the so-called ‘loverboy method’. Once the victims reached Girona, the members of the criminal gang forced them into prostitution on the streets of the Spanish city. The victims endured harsh living conditions, cold and hunger. Some of them were forced to prostitute themselves while pregnant and at high risk of being infected by COVID in the current pandemic. To prove their ‘ownership’ over the victims, the criminal gang tattooed them. The suspects collected the money from the sexual exploitation and invested it in high-end vehicles, real estate, luxury goods and drugs. During the action day, officers in Romania discovered pornographic material including content depicting the sexual abuse of a minor.
The action day on 9 March 2021 led also to:
16 house searches (2 in Spain and 14 in Romania)
19 arrests (8 in Spain and 11 in Romania)
18 victims safeguarded (7 in Spain and 11 in Romania)
Seizures include phones and stolen goods, including jewellery worth some €35 000.
Europol facilitated the information exchange and provided analytical support. During the action day, Europol hosted a virtual command post to coordinate the activities. Europol also deployed an expert to Spain to cross-check operational information in real-time against Europol’s databases and to provide technical support with phone extraction capabilities.
In 2010 the European Union set up a four-year Policy Cycle to ensure greater continuity in the fight against serious international and organised crime. In 2017 the Council of the EU decided to continue the EU Policy Cycle for the 2018 – 2021 period. It aims to tackle the most significant threats posed by organised and serious international crime to the EU. This is achieved by improving and strengthening cooperation between the relevant services of EU Member States, institutions and agencies, as well as non-EU countries and organisations, including the private sector where relevant. Human trafficking is one of the priorities for the Policy Cycle.
Blackrock Microsystems Supports an Ambitious European Union Funded Partnership for Brain-Computer-Interface Connectivity – EU Politics Today – EIN Presswire
Concrete proposals were handed to the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans by high school students from all over Europe, who took part in a virtual Youth Summit on Climate organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 18-19 March 2021.
Young Europeans have a say in the EU’s future: without your calls for action the European Green deal would not have been here , said Mr Timmermans welcoming the event Your Europe your say 2021. I am really impressed at your in-depth understanding of the climate change problem and at the way you presented your proposals to me, this is the way to live, understand each other, it’s extremely difficult to hate a person that you can understand, he concluded.
After two days of lively virtual discussions and debates, over 234 students aged 16-18 participating in #YEYS2021 developed concrete recommendations, which they presented during a final plenary session.
The students had to wear the hat of a stakeholder group in a simulation of a United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) and work together with other groups to create a plan to limit global warming to safe levels of well below 1.5º C by the end of the century. The groups represented real sectors and industries, whose activities and advocacy influence global warming.
Planting city trees and installing vertical gardens
“Ecological-Manhattan-Project” for the EU, investing vast amounts in new technologies
Investing in more education for the general public
Implementing tailor-made policies that respond to each country’s specific circumstances
Supporting afforestation as one of the most efficient long-term solutions in carbon removal
Introducing hydrogen and biogas while phasing out fossil fuels
Closing the gap between developed and developing nations
The final plan created by the young Europeans predicted a temperature increase of +1.4°C by 2100, thus reaching the goal of the exercise, and was presented by eight students.
Students were welcomed by Christa Schweng, President of the EESC, who said: I am full of hope for the future of Europe and confident that the next European generation is in good hands. We need a green transition to a green economy that leaves no one behind. To achieve this, we need active citizens. This starts with involving young people.Cillian Lohan, Vice-President of the EESC in charge of communication, closed the event with these remarks: I hope the experience of YEYS has given you the desire to be active citizens, we need your participation for democracy to be strong. The youth movement has shown that change can come from the streets. Today we help those demands for more action to resonate in the corridors of power.
During the event, the students had the opportunity to share their ideas and views with different guests, such as the Belgian climate activists Anuna de Wever and AdelaideCharlier; Samuel Masse, President of the European Council of Young Farmers; and Ska Keller, Co-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group at the European Parliament, who said: We are not inventing the wheel; there is a lot of research! We know what procedures to adopt and implement at national level! The Climate Law is a very important step! This is really thanks to the outside pressure and youth engagement.
Background: After its cancellation due to the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, the 2021 Committee’s flagship event for young people selected 33 schools, one from each of the 27 EU Member States and five candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) and one from the UK.
Through this initiative, the EESC aims to ensure that the views, experiences and ideas of the younger generation are taken on board in EU policy-making.
In an effort to save the summer tourist season, the European Union proposed a COVID-19 certificate on Wednesday that would allow people to travel freely, according toThe New York Times.
The proposed Digital Green Certificate would be free and available in digital or paper formats. It would allow European residents to travel across the 27 member countries if they have proof of vaccination, a negative test result or a documented recovery from COVID-19.</p>
<p>The idea is to "gradually restore free movement within the EU and avoid fragmentation," Didier Reynders, the European commissioner for justice, said <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1181">in a statement</a>.
Free movement has long been a tenet of the European Union, the <em>Times</em> reported, but the pandemic has led to a patchwork of national travel restrictions. Under the new proposal, governments could decide which restrictions and quarantine measures to lift for travelers who have a certificate. The certificate would also include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which are part of the Schengen Area but not the EU.
The proposal will be discussed next week during a summit of European Union leaders, according <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/17/978188017/eu-officials-propose-digital-travel-certificates-vaccination-not-required">to NPR</a>. Then the proposal must be approved by the European Parliament and the majority of member states. If approved, the certificates could be available by mid-June.</p>
<p>Several countries have opposed travel certificates over concerns that they could be discriminatory and allow some residents to travel while others can't, according <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56427830">to the BBC</a>. Some countries have also voiced concerns about data privacy and whether certain vaccines should be included in the approval process. The European Medicines Agency has approved COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca-University of Oxford and Johnson & Johnson but not Russia's Sputnik V or China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines.</p>
<p>About 10% of European Union residents have been vaccinated, the <em>Times</em> reported, and many European countries are facing another surge in COVID-19 cases amid a slow vaccination rollout. On Wednesday, EU officials acknowledged the slow rollout and said other countries were hoarding doses, particularly Britain.
"We want to see reciprocity and proportionality in exports, and we are ready to use whatever tool we need to deliver on that," Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said during the meeting.</p>
<p>"This is about making sure that Europe gets its fair share," she said.</p>
<p>The commission also described a plan to lift lockdown measures this year based on each country's COVID-19 cases. Decisions will be based on simulations run by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.</p>
<p>"The situation with the virus in Europe is still very challenging," Stella Kyriakides, the top health official for the EU, said during the meeting.
"It is only through a joint approach that we can return safely to full free movement in the EU," she said.
The travel certificate wouldn't change the current rules about external travel, the <em>Times</em> reported. Many countries have restricted nonessential travel and required quarantines with a few exceptions. Travelers who aren't EU residents could obtain a COVID-19 certificate — but only if their visit to Europe falls under an exception.
Even still, some countries are working on their own deals regarding travel, the newspaper reported. Greece has signed an agreement with Israel and is developing plans with 10 other countries, including Britain, Canada and the U.S.
In the U.K., federal officials are also discussing the best way to reopen travel.
"We are having debates, discussions about travel ... but I think what we also have to do is be driven by the data," Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary for the U.K., told the BBC. "We've got to see how coronavirus develops."
<h3 class="sectionTitle"> Sources </h3>
The New York Times: "Europe's Plan to Save Summer: A Travel Certificate."
European Commission: "Coronavirus: Commission proposes a Digital Green Certificate."
NPR: "EU Officials Propose Digital Travel Certificates — Vaccination Not Required
BBC: "Covid: EU plans rollout of travel certificate before summer."
The EU’s drugs regulator said on Thursday that it had found the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine was “safe and effective” and was not linked to an increased risk of blood clots.
Around a dozen countries had suspended the use of the vaccine and were awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) safety committee.
“The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine,” Emer Cooke, the head of the Amsterdam-based EMA, told a press conference.
“Its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks,” she said.
“The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events or blood clots.”
Cooke added: “If it was me I would be vaccinated tomorrow.”
The EMA said however that it “could not rule out definitively” a connection to a particularly rare type of clotting disorder and would update the vaccine’s product information.
“During the investigation and review we began to see a small number of cases of rare and unusual but very serious clotting disorder and this then triggered a more focused review,” she said.
“Based on the evidence available, and after days of in depth analysis of lab results, clinical reports, autopsy reports and further information from the clinical trials, we still cannot rule out definitively a link between these cases and the vaccine.”
The new warning in the vaccine information would draw attention to the “possible rare conditions” to help patients and healthcare professionals “stop and mitigate any possible side effects.”
The EMA was launching a further probe into the rare cases, she added.
After much debate, the European Union’s medicines regulator has concluded that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe to use after several EU countries suspended their rollouts following reports that it could be linked to blood clots, CNN reports.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s executive directorEmer Cooke announced that the agency had “come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine.”
Cooke went on to explain that the group did not find that the vaccine causes clotting, adding that it could not rule out definitively a link to a rare blood clotting disorder, of which seven cases have been reported out of 20 million doses given in the UK. But she said the benefits of using the vaccine outweighed the risk.
The agency’s approval of the vaccine comes after more than a dozen European countries halted their use of the vaccine, citing reports of a handful of patients across Europe who developed clotting after being inoculated.
Most of the countries agreed to wait for the EMA’s green light before resuming rollouts, but concerns remain about the impact of the suspensions on vaccine hesitancy across the continent.
“I want to reiterate that our scientific position is this: this vaccine is a safe and effective option to protect citizens against COVID-19,” Cooke said at a press conference Thursday.
“It demonstrated that at least 60% efficacy in clinical trials and preventing coronavirus disease, and in fact the real world evidence suggests that the effectiveness could be even higher than that.”
The group said it recommended raising awareness of blood clot reports so these cases could be analyzed further. But they added that such reports were rare, and that more than 7 million people have received the vaccine in the EU.
“The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events, or blood clots,” Cooke said.
Nearly all of western Europe had temporarily stopped using the shot in recent days, even amid a third wave of coronavirus infections across the region, after a small number of reports of clots emerged.
The deaths of three individuals, a person in Austria, a woman in Denmark, and a third patient in Norway, led to the suspensions. But the decisions were criticized by many in the medical community, and other countries continued to back the use of the vaccine — including the UK, which has given out more than 11 million AstraZeneca doses so far.
In the EU, leaders now face the question of how to rebuild any trust in the AstraZeneca vaccine that has been lost over the past week. The bloc’s rollout of the jab has stumbled from one obstacle to another since it was approved for use in January, with governments scrambling to secure limited supplies of the jab while simultaneously casting doubts over its efficacy and safety.
Milan’s largest vaccine center told CNN it would resume AstraZeneca vaccinations Friday if given the green light from the EMA. It would also overbook appointments so as to make up for the shortfalls of the past few days. Ireland’s Prime Minister had earlier told CNN he hoped his country could “catch up fairly quickly” once the vaccination program resumed.
But experts say some damage has already been done when it comes to public perception of a potentially life-saving vaccine.
For example, in France, an Elabe poll showed this week that only 22% of the population now trusts the AstraZeneca vaccine. Remi Salomon, a senior French hospitals official, told BFM TV on Thursday that “people are being overly cautious” in the country and that he feared “people will not interpret” the suspensions in “the right way.”
“A scare like this has the potential to increase vaccine hesitancy,” Michael Head, senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton in Britain, told CNN earlier in the week. “These vaccines are to protect against a pandemic virus. There is an urgency to the rollout.”
ISLAMABAD, 16 March 2021: The European Union will support Pakistan’s Civil Society by co-financing three projects, for a total amount of 7 237 500 EUR, to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on communities and increase the voice of youth in society.
The announcement follows the signing of three contracts by H.E. Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan and the representatives of the main implementing partners: Agha Khan Foundation, Norwegian Church Aid and Deutsche Welthungerhilfe. The three projects were selected through a call for proposals launched in April 2020 and focus on Punjab, Sindh and Gilgit Baltistan.
In Pakistan, the virus is posing a threat to people’s lives, straining communities, overwhelming health systems and endangering livelihoods. Young people in particular, who make up a majority of Pakistan’s population, have been severely affected by the pandemic in terms of unemployment, increased gender inequalities, social exclusion and a diminished voice in the decision-making processes.
The projects aim to build Civil Society Organizations capacity to mobilise and engage youth, enhance involvement in decision-making, and improve access to economic opportunities for marginalized groups.
At the signing ceremony, Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, said, “As the world continues to battle the COVID pandemic, it is important to focus our efforts on supporting the most vulnerable. Civil society organisations are important partners for the EU wherever we work, and have been crucial in Pakistan’s efforts to respond to the current crisis. The initiative leading to today’s successful proposals was one of the first concrete actions taken by the EU last year to alleviate the effects of the pandemic in the short and long term in Pakistan. The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on young people – which is reflected in the areas prioritised by these projects including youth engagement and economic empowerment.”
Dr Matt Reed, CEO of Agha Kahn Foundation (UK), said: “During this pandemic, in Pakistan and around the world, civil society has been vital: raising awareness, teaching people how to help their families and neighbours safely, protecting their communities from COVID-19. The Aga Khan Foundation is delighted to partner with the European Union in strengthening community organisations and civil society at this crucial time.”
In her speech, Anne Masterson, Country Director of the Norwegian Church Aid emphasized that, “Through this project young people will have opportunities to improve and diversify their skills, obtain training and establish livelihoods. Youth, particularly young women, will become more effective change agents by strengthening their voice within their communities and in the wider society.”
Aisha Jamshed, Country Director of Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, stated that, “Through the project, CSOs will build the skills of young men and women, provide them with income opportunities and giving them a voice by advocating for improved service delivery with Local Authorities. Welthungerhilfe values the consistent contribution of the European Union to the organization over the past ten years, along with EUs contribution to the civil society development across Pakistan.”
In Pakistan, the EU is committed to a stable, democratic and pluralistic country that respects human rights and benefits from its full economic potential by supporting sustainable and inclusive development for all its citizens. The EU provides Pakistan with about €100 million annually in grants for development and cooperation. Among other issues, the EU supports Pakistan in its efforts to tackle poverty, increase education, promote good governance, human rights, rule of law and ensure sustainable management of natural resources. EU-funded projects cover all of Pakistan with a special focus on Sindh and Balochistan.
More information on the European Union’s cooperation with Pakistan can be found here:
New York governor Andrew Cuomo is vaccinated at a church in the Harlem section of New York City amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, New York, on Wednesday. (Seth Wenig/Pool via Reuters)
The European Union is bracing for a decision by its health regulator on whether AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot is safe to use, as the bloc escalates a dispute with the UK over vaccine supplies.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened to withhold vaccine exports to the UK, which said it may have to slow the pace of inoculations because of a shortage of doses.
Walt Disney Co plans to reopen Disneyland on April 30, while in Japan the government recommended lifting Tokyo’s state of emergency next week.
Brazil surpassed 90,000 new cases in one day, while India topped 35,000 for the first time since early January. With immigration curbed by border closures, Australia’s population fell for the first time since World War I.
Bali may reopen in June
Foreign tourists may be able to visit the Indonesian island of Bali again as soon as June under a travel corridor programme to help revive the economy, Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said.
The arrangement will be offered to countries that are deemed successful in their vaccination programmes, are able to contain the spread of the coronavirus and could offer reciprocal benefits, Mr Uno said in a statement.
Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua are major holiday spots in Bali included in a pilot project to begin receiving foreign travelers in mid-June or July, under strict health protocols, said Mr Uno. As many as 2 million Bali residents will have to be vaccinated before the pilot can start.
German minister wants militart help
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer wants the armed forces to operate 24-hour vaccination centers to help speed the roll-out of Covid-19 shots.
“We have been preparing to provide more support for vaccinating the population since November 2020 with other members of the Bundeswehr,” Kramp-Karrenbauer told WirtschaftsWoche, adding that the armed forces has the capacity to run 28 such centres.
“If enough vaccine is available in the federal states, we can administer up to 20,000 doses per day throughout Germany,” she said.
Australia population falls
Australia recorded the first quarterly drop in its population since World War I as more people departed the nation than arrived in the three months through September.
International border restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19 resulted in the population falling by 4,200 overall, with 55,400 people departing Australia and 20,600 arriving from overseas in the three months. Australia shut its international borders last March.
Taiwan mulls travel bubble
Taiwan is studying setting up a “travel bubble” with Singapore, Taipei-based United Daily News reported, citing Health Minister Chen Shih-chung.
Chen said Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center hasn’t received an official proposal from Singapore yet.
Earlier Taiwan said it had agreed an arrangement with the Pacific archipelago nation of Palau, under which group tourists could travel between the two provided they test negative for the virus before departure and haven’t tested positive within three months.
India’s new cases rise
India’s Health Ministry reported 35,871 new cases as the nation’s infection count continues to rise. The total was the highest since the first week of January. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged an increase in testing and tracing to curb the rise in infections.
UK, EU escalate dispute over vaccine supplies
The dispute between the UK and European Union over coronavirus vaccines deepened as the government in London said it would have to slow down its inoculation program because of a cut in supplies.
The UK is preparing to prioritise giving second doses to the most-vulnerable people due to the expected four-week reduction in supply from March 29.
The UK’s National Health Service blamed the looming short-term reduction of doses on a drop in “inbound vaccines,” adding to tension with Brussels over shipments. The EU has threatened to block exports to its former member state.
EC President Ursula von der Leyen said EU leaders should consider additional measures to secure vaccine supplies when they meet next week, including the potential use of emergency legal powers that would allow them to effectively seize control of production and distribution.
Japan recommends easing Tokyo curbs
Japan’s government will recommend that the Tokyo area emergency be lifted on March 21, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said at a virus panel meeting on Thursday.
Nishimura, who is in charge of coronavirus response in Japan, said the country will strengthen the monitoring of variants of the virus and is preparing to start inspections in the Tokyo region this week.
The government will continue to call on restaurants and bars to close early and companies to further promote remote working, NHK reported.
Brazil surpasses 90,000 cases in record day
Brazil registered more than 90,000 Covid-19 cases for the first time, a second straight day of record numbers as the country fights against a health system collapse.
The occupancy rate of ICUs at public hospitals is above 80%, a threshold considered critical, in almost all states. In 19 of 27 state capitals, more than 90% of beds are occupied.
US studying oral, nasal vaccine delivery
Anthony S. Fauci told a House panel Wednesday that the National Institutes of Health is funding research to make it easier to administer vaccines that could eliminate the need for shots, allowing children and other patients who are afraid of needles to be inoculated via a nasal spray or an oral version.
Almost half of UK adults have had first dose
Almost half of all adults in the UK have had a coronavirus vaccine, the Department of Health said as the number of first doses administered crossed 25 million.
The government said it is on track to offer a first vaccine to everyone over 50 by April 15 and to all adults by the end of July. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament he would soon have the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot.
Disneyland to reopen April 30
Walt Disney plans to reopen its two California theme parks on April 30, more than a year after it shut them down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, which closed their gates on March 14 last year, are among the last of the company’s properties to welcome back customers. While Disney’s Paris resort is still shuttered, the four theme parks in Florida have been open since July.
EIB and EIF working with leading Romanian banks to strengthen COVID-19 economic resilience
EIB streamlined university investment scheme already backing investment at Cluj Technical University and Bucharest Medical University
Record disbursement for Romanian projects and strong pipeline of future hospital, education, road safety and water financing
Higher education, water distribution, energy efficiency and private sector investment across Romania will benefit from more than EUR 809 million of new financing from the European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund agreed with Romanian public and private partners last year.
The European Investment Bank Group’s engagement also included targeted financing to ensure that Romanian companies can continue to invest and better face business challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The coronavirus pandemic made 2020 a uniquely challenging year for Romania, Europe and the whole world. The European Investment Bank Group has made a crucial contribution to helping businesses across Romania better withstand the economic challenges of COVID-19 and enabling priority higher education, health, water and energy investment to accelerate. The close cooperation between the EIB Group and Romania has transformed economic opportunities, priority infrastructure and key services in our country. The strong pipeline of future EIB and EIF engagement in Romania will build on this impressive track record.” said Alexandru Nazare, Romanian Finance Minister and Governor of the European Investment Bank.
“Ensuring that companies continue to invest and priority projects can proceed is crucial to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and build a better future. The excellent collaboration between Romanian public and private partners and colleagues from the European Investment Bank Group, including our technical and financial experts in Bucharest, have once again delivered transformational support for economic, social and climate investment in Romania. The EUR 809 million new EIB and EIF financing agreed in 2020 will benefit thousands of companies, students and households across the country in the years ahead.” said Christian Kettel Thomsen, EIB Vice President responsible for Romania.
“In 2020 the EIF provided more than EUR 387 million of new financing for small businesses across Romania. This included new guarantee and equity transactions, support for ten local microfinance schemes and backing for a first-of-its-kind synthetic securitisation transaction in Romania, to scale up leasing finance. The EIF teams in Bucharest and Luxembourg remain committed to working with our Romanian partners to continue mobilising high-impact private investment in Romania.” said Alain Godard, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund.
Details of the EIB Group’s highly important financial and technical support for long-term and priority investment were outlined earlier today by Christian Kettel Thomsen, EIB Vice President responsible for Romania, Alain Godard, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund and Debora Revoltella, EIB Chief Economist.
EIB and EIF backing for priority investment discussed with Ministers
Confirmation of the reinforced EIB Group engagement in Romania follows meetings over recent weeks with Alexandru Nazare, Romanian Finance Minister and Governor of the European Investment Bank, and Ministers responsible for Investments and European Projects, Energy and Transport.
Strengthening private sector investment and COVID-19 economic resilience
Business investment, leasing by agriculture, manufacturing and service companies and ensuring more inclusive access to finance across Romania will be enhanced by EUR 633 million of new private sector support agreed between the EIB, EIF and leading Romanian financial partners.
This includes more flexible and increased financing for business investment, provided through local banks and financial institutions, to ensure that Romanian companies can better withstand business pressures and economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
New EIB support for private sector investment in Romania also included EUR 100 million backing to expand warehouse and supply chain capacity across the country and new lending programmes to ensure that entrepreneurs and socially disadvantages communities can access finance.
The EIB and EIF also backed the first ever synthetic securitisation deal in Romania that will strengthen specialist leasing finance and enable Romanian companies to upgrade manufacturing equipment and transport fleets.
New report shows mixed impact of COVID-19 on business investment in Romania
New EIB economic research suggests that business in Romania has became more pessimistic about the short-term outlook, very similar to peers across the EU. Pessimism is greatest about the economic climate.
The European Investment Bank Investment Survey highlights that uncertainty about the future remains the most cited long-term barrier to investment (82%), followed by the limited availability of skilled staff (72%). Firms in Romania are more likely than EU peers to cite adequate transport infrastructure as a long-term barrier to investment (63% versus 40%).
The new investment survey indicated that business investment is focused on replacement of existing buildings and production equipment and tilted towards tangibles. Around a quarter (27%) of firms in Romania report abandoning or delaying investment plans as a result of COVID-19, fewer than the EU average (35%).
The same proportion of firms in Romania (27%) also report continuing with investment plans albeit on a reduced scale or scope, i.e. well above the EU average (18%). Around one in ten firms face finance constraints, and reliance on internal financing sources remains high. Access to finance is more of an issue in Romania than in other EU countries and firms lagging with investments in digitalisation and energy efficiency face greater difficulties in successfully tapping external financing.
About Romania’s green transition potential, three-quarters of Romanian businesses (75%) say that climate change currently has an impact on their business, well above the EU average (58%) while, two-thirds of firms (66%) report already investing or planning to invest in climate related projects, in line with the EU average (67%). However, only 37% of firms managed to invest in measures to improve energy efficiency, well below the EU average (47%).
Accelerating investment to transform higher education in Romania
Last summer the EIB launched its first streamlined higher education financing scheme in Romania. This will help to improve teaching, research and innovation at institutions across the country for the period 2021-2025.
The first two loans have been agreed with the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest. These will help to accelerate strategic development, enhance research facilities and strengthen education to benefit students and researchers in the years ahead.
The EIB is in discussions with other higher education institutions across Romania to support further investment and allow university investment to benefit from long-term financing and the EIB’s unique technical experience supporting education investment across Europe.
Cutting heating costs in homes and schools
Last year the EIB continued its track record of supporting energy efficiency in Romania and agreed EUR 42 million of new financing toward the Energy Efficiency Investment Programmes of three districts in Bucharest.
In their entirety, the programmes aim to reduce energy use and cut heating bills for 900 residential buildings and 19 schools, and EIB’s fresh funding supports the implementation progress. This new support will assist implementation of Romania’s National Energy Efficiency Action Plan and the EU Resource Efficiency Initiative.
Strong pipeline for future EIB and EIF engagement in Romania
In the coming months new EIB expects to finalise support for construction of three new hospitals, a Regional Emergency Hospital in Iasi and new regional hospitals in Craiova and Cluj.
New schemes to improve road safety across the country, long-term financing to expand and update regional water infrastructure, following support last year for water schemes in Cluj-Salaj, and new initiatives to support business financing and municipal investment are also foreseen.
Building on track record of EIB Group engagement in Romania
Since 1991 the EIB and EIF have provided more than EUR 17 billion for transformational private and public investment across Romania.
European Commission Speech Brussels, 18 Mar 2021 Good morning,
What a big day! I am delighted to welcome all of you to the launch of the European Innovation Council. We all know: This launch could not come at …
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
