Today, the European Commission has introduced the principles of reciprocity and proportionality as new criteria to be considered for authorising exports under the transparency and authorisation mechanism for COVID-19 vaccine exports. This system has significantly improved the transparency of exports. Nevertheless, the objective to ensure timely access to COVID-19 vaccines for EU citizens is still not met.

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Towards increased transparency, reciprocity and proportionality

The new regulation introduces two changes to the existing mechanism. First, in addition to the impact of a planned export to the fulfilment of the EU's Advance Purchase Agreements (APAs) with vaccine manufacturers, Member States and the Commission should also consider:

• Reciprocity – does the destination country restrict its own exports of vaccines or their raw materials, either by law or other means? and
• Proportionality – are the conditions prevailing in the destination country better or worse than the EU's, in particular its epidemiological situation, its vaccination rate and its access to vaccines.

Member States and the Commission should assess whether the requested exports do not pose a threat to the security of supply of vaccines and their components in the Union.

Second, to gain a full picture of vaccine trade, the new act includes 17 countries[1] previously exempted in the scope of the regulation.*

The EU remains committed to international solidarity and will therefore continue to exclude from this scheme vaccine supplies for humanitarian aid or destined to the 92 low and middle income countries under the COVAX Advance Market Commitment list.

The export authorisation scheme

This implementing act is targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. It is fully consistent with the EU's international commitment under the World Trade Organization and the G20, and in line with what the EU has proposed in the context of the WTO's trade and health initiative. Member States decide on the requests for authorisation in accordance with the Commission's opinion.

Since the start of this mechanism, 380 export requests to 33 different destinations have been granted for a total of around 43 million doses. Only one export request was not granted. The main export destinations include the United Kingdom (with approximately 10.9 million doses), Canada (6.6 million), Japan (5.4 million), Mexico (4.4 million), Saudi Arabia (1.5 million), Singapore (1.5 million), Chile (1.5 million), Hong Kong (1.3 million), Korea (1.0 million) and Australia (1.0 million).

[1] *List of countries included: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Iceland, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Switzerland.

See also

• Source and additional information