EU Council Chief Says COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Waiver Not 'Magic Bullet'
Muhammad Irfan Published May 08, 2021 | 04:02 PM
European Council President Charles Michel said on Saturday that lifting intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines is not the "magic bullet," but the bloc is ready to discuss it
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th May, 2021) European Council President Charles Michel said on Saturday that lifting intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines is not the "magic bullet," but the bloc is ready to discuss it.
On Wednesday, the Biden administration threw its support behind the initiative to temporarily lift patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines in order to speed up production worldwide.
"On the intellectual property, we do not think, in the short term, that it is the magic bullet, but we are ready to engage on this topic as soon as a concrete proposal would be put on the table," Michel said before a working session of the two-day informal European Council meeting in Portugal's Porto.
He added that all EU leaders present at the Porto summit "agree that [they] need to do everything which is possible in order to increase everywhere in the world the production of vaccines".
According to the official, the EU leaders on Friday evening discussed three major virus-related issues, namely EU progress in vaccine production and distribution; green certificates; and international solidarity to increase vaccine production.
"We are totally committed [to shipments] through COVAX, for example, but also because in Europe we took the decision to make export possible for vaccines and we encouraged all partners to facilitate the export of doses," he said.
The Porto Social Summit, hosted by the Portuguese presidency and the EU, focuses on such topics as employment, skills and innovation as well as welfare state and social protection.
Recent Stories
3 Gawadar attack victims funeral offered
Mbappe says he will leave PSG at end of season
Usmani felicitates Sardar Saleem on taking oath as Punjab Governor
DC for provision of facilities to people in Lasbela
Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
Court grants interim bail to PTI leaders
Ulema, Mashaykh call for political accountability, collaboration for Pakistan's ..
SHRC asks NADRA to issue CNICs to transgender as per law
Flash floods kill 50 in one day in north Afghanistan
CDA chief expresses commitment to promoting modern-day technologies
By wide margin, UN General Assembly votes to back Palestinian bid for membership ..
Musadik slams PTI's political approach as provocative
More Stories From Health
-
NCHD organises blood donation camp
8 hours ago -
Anti- measles drive to start from May 20
2 days ago -
229 diseases directly linked to obesity: Experts
3 days ago -
Health authorities asked for action against alleged illegal tenders at Services Hospital
7 days ago -
FDA officials urged to resolve peoples’ issues
7 days ago -
Health department confirms 2 deaths due to measles
8 days ago
-
Vaccines save at least 154 million lives in 50 years: WHO
16 days ago -
UHS to issue MBBS degrees within three months after final result
16 days ago -
Rawalpindi woman gives birth to six babies
21 days ago -
DC calls for intensive anti-polio drive in ICT
22 days ago -
World Hemophilia Day observed to underscore importance of providing comprehensive care
23 days ago -
Six in a family with heart on the 'right side'
23 days ago