Philippines exempted from ban on COVID-19 vaccine exports, says EU delegation

The Philippines is among the countries 92 low and middle income countries which are exempted from the European Union's ban on the exportation of COVID-19 vaccines, the EU delegation to the Philippines said on Tuesday.

The EU delegation issued the statement a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said in a televised address that the EU had taken hostage the COVID-19 vaccines produced in European countries.

“The authorization mechanism for exports of COVID-19 vaccines include a wide range of exemptions from prior authorization, to ensure the EU continues to fully honor its commitments to deliver the vaccine to our direct neighbourhood and to 92 low and middle-income countries, including the Philippines, covered by the COVAX facility,” the EU said in a statement.

Duterte on Monday said the EU was holding up the supply of the COVID-19 vaccines particularly the one by AstraZeneca after it adopted a new measure restricting the exportation of the vaccines.

“The European Commission launched a new mechanism on Friday to monitor and in some cases block -- parahin -- coronavirus vaccines exports out of the European Union," Duterte said.

"Ganoon kadali. Ang atin dito ASEAN but we are not really as powerful as the EU. Eh wala tayong connection, wala tayong pera. May pera tayo pero naka-ready lang, standby," he added.

“For all of the brouhaha, ‘O meron kami dito’ Saan? E ‘yung AstraZeneca hinostage ng European Union,” Duterte said.

Through COVAX, the EU said the Philippines would receive COVID-19 vaccines for 20% of its population, with the first shipment expected by the end of February.

Based on the principle of solidarity, the EU said it also excluded in the export ban the following:

• Exports to any of the 92 low and middle income countries in the COVAX Advance Market Commitment list
• Exports of COVID vaccines purchased and/or delivered through COVAX, UNICEF and PAHO with destination to any other COVAX participating country
• Exports in the context of a humanitarian emergency response

“The EU remains fully committed to international solidarity and its international obligations. As President Von der Leyen said: ‘This transparency and authorisation mechanism is temporary, and we will of course continue to uphold our commitments towards low and middle income countries,’” it said.

Further, the EU said it has already provided 853 million euros to help 92 low and middle-income countries, including the Philippines, to gain access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The Philippines has already allocated P73.2 billion for the procurement of the vaccines, with P40 billion coming from multilateral agencies, P20 billion from domestic sources, and P13.2 billion from bilateral agreements. -Ma. Angelica NB, GMA News