GENEVA (Reuters) – The director-general of the World Trade Organization said on Tuesday she was disappointed in the European Union’s export authorisation scheme for COVID-19 vaccines, saying that she was talking to them about this measure.
“While we understand the politics of what they are doing – I have said openly I am disappointed, particularly in the fact that they extended it from March,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said at a WTO online event, saying export restrictions must be temporary.
Under the scheme, which is to be extended through June, companies must get an authorisation before exporting COVID-19 shots, and may have export requests denied if they do not respect their supply commitments with the EU.
(Reporting by Emma Farge and Stephanie Nebehay)
