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Australia urges review after Italy blocks AstraZeneca vaccine shipment
Toni Waterman in Brussels
Europe;Belgium
02:16

Australia called for a review of Italy's decision to block a shipment of AstraZeneca jabs to the country, as the global competition for coronavirus vaccines escalates.  

The country's health minister said Canberra raised the issue with the European Commission "through multiple channels."  

"In particular, we have asked the European Commission to review this decision," Greg Hunt told reporters on Friday.  

Italy, with the blessing of the Commission, halted a shipment of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine bound for Australia, citing the vaccine maker's delivery shortfall across the bloc. AstraZeneca slashed first-quarter deliveries by at least 60 percent and it's unclear if the company will hit its delivery target of 180 million doses in the second quarter. 

 

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Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he understood the Italian government's rationale and said he didn't believe the bloc was engaging in "vaccine nationalism."  

"In Italy, people are dying at the rate of 300 a day. They are in an unbridled crisis situation. That is not the situation in Australia," he said.  

Morrison stressed that the missed shipment would not derail Australia's vaccine roll-out, which kicked off two weeks ago. 

 

France signals it could follow Italy's lead on halting vaccine exports 

Italy is the first country to make good on EU threats to halt the shipment of jabs since export controls were introduced in January. The regulation requires companies to seek permission before exporting abroad and was put in place over fears that doses meant for Europe were being sent elsewhere.  

The controls are due to expire this month, but amid a continued vaccine shortage there are reports the rules will be extended until the end of June.  

"Of course, we have to take a strong interest in this. And if necessary exert pressure so that pledged deliveries are honored, and reliably so," German Health Minister Jens Spahn said at a press conference on Friday.   

While Italy was the first to act, it could prove an opening for other member states. France's health minister did not rule out a similar move when asked on French television Friday morning.  

"We can do the same," Olivier Veran told BFMTV anchor Jean-Jacques Bourdin.   

While a small order, the blocked shipment to Australia marks a sharp escalation in the global competition for vaccines. 

Brussels was keen to show it is not hoarding jabs and said 174 export applications have been approved since January, with deliveries to more than 30 countries. 

"Add to that list 92 countries in which no export authorization is in place and the COVAX mechanism," the Commission's chief spokesperson Eric Mamer said during a midday briefing. Adding: "Let's not try to shift the situation here. The fact is, the European Union is a major exporter of vaccine doses."

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