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LAST UPDATE | 30 Jan 2021
THE EU HAS pulled back on plans to prevent Northern Ireland from being used as a back door to funnel coronavirus vaccine from the bloc into the rest of the UK, following an outcry on both sides of the Irish Sea last night.
In a statement, the European Commission said the Northern Ireland Protocol will be “unaffected” by its plans to put limits on vaccines leaving the EU.
“The commission is not triggering the safeguard clause,” it added, signifying that the controversial Article 16 would not be invoked.
The protocol, with is part of the Brexit withdrawal deal, normally allows for free movement of goods from the EU into Northern Ireland.
Under the terms of the protocol, goods should be able to move freely between the EU and Northern Ireland as the region remains in the single market for goods and still operates under EU customs rules.
The EU had signalled its intention to trigger Article 16 of the protocol to temporarily place export controls on this movement in respect of vaccines.
The move had caused alarm across the political spectrum, with the Irish government, the British government, Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the DUP and other unionists all raising their concerns.
The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister spoke about the matter yesterday evening – with Number 10 describing it as a “constructive discussion” – before the EU withdrew its plans.
Micheál Martin and Boris Johnson both raised their concerns with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Responding to the u-turn late last night, Martin said it was “welcome”. “This is a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling Covid-19,” he tweeted.
Welcome decision by the European Commission tonight not to invoke the safeguard clause of the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol following constructive discussions with @vonderleyen
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) January 29, 2021
This is a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling COVID-19.
EU Com statement tonight confirming NI Protocol Art 16, safeguard clause, will not be triggered.
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 29, 2021
Welcome news, but lessons should be learned; the Protocol is not something to be tampered with lightly, it’s an essential, hard won compromise, protecting peace & trade for many. pic.twitter.com/QLKpfhR9Yt
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said that “lessons should be learned” and warned that the protocol “is not something to be tampered with lightly, it’s an essential, hard won compromise, protecting peace and trade for many”.
Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster had earlier branded the EU’s triggering of Article 16 of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol to stop unfettered flow of inoculations from the EU into the region an “incredible act of hostility”.
In its statement yesterday evening, the European Commission said it was still ploughing ahead with measures to require that vaccine exports outside the EU are subject to “an authorisation by member states”.
“Should transits of vaccines and active substances toward third countries be abused to circumvent the effects of the authorisation system, the EU will consider using all the instruments at its disposal,” it said.
However, invoking elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol will no longer be such an “instrument” after the move earlier provoked a major reaction on the island of Ireland and in Britain.
High-level talks
It is understood that no prior consultation took place with the Irish government prior to the EU’s earlier decision.
An Irish government source said that the criticism of the decision was “unsurprising”.
The tumultuous evening came amid a deepening row over the allocation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after the company announced delays to its EU operations.
The EU’s move to activate Article 16 was aimed at frustrating any effort to use Northern Ireland as a back door to bring vaccines into Great Britain.
In a statement after 9pm yesterday, a Number 10 spokesperson said Johnson had discussed the matter with the Taoiseach.
The spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister this evening had a constructive discussion with the Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
“The PM set out his concerns about the EU’s use of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and what these actions may mean for the two communities in Northern Ireland.
“The PM stressed the UK’s enduring commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and said the EU must urgently clarify its intentions and what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured.
“The PM stressed the UK’s commitment to working together with other countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
In a conversation with von der Leyen, Johnson also expressed his “grave concerns”, according to Number 10.
Earlier criticism
The move had provoked fury from unionists.
Arlene Foster said: “By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner – over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives.
“At the first opportunity, the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the coronavirus vaccine.”
The regulation means Northern Ireland will be considered an export territory for the purposes of vaccine sent from the EU/the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s vaccines arrive from the rest of the UK at present so those will be unaffected.
The DUP leader added: “With the European Union using Article 16 in such an aggressive and most shameful way, it is now time for our Government to step up.
“I will be urging the Prime Minister to act and use robust measures including Article 16 to advance the interests of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.”
The DUP has previously pressed the British Government to invoke the Article 16 mechanism because of disruption to the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.
The European Commission had said: “Exports of goods from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom cannot be restricted by Union law unless this is strictly required by international obligations of the Union.
“Therefore, movements of goods covered by this regulation between the Union and Northern Ireland should be treated as exports.
“Whilst quantitative restrictions on exports are prohibited between the Union and Northern Ireland, in accordance with Article 5 (5) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, this is justified as a safeguard measure pursuant to Article 16 of that Protocol in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states.”
Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill said this evening she’d spoken to the Irish government to raise her “very serious concerns” about the invoking of Article 16.
She said: “This is a totally ill judged move by the EU and should not have been triggered. Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently.”
The move was also criticised by SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
He said: “The disproportionate decision to invoke Article 16 of the Ireland Protocol by the European Commission is a grave error in judgment that undermines the work that has taken place over the last five years to defend the interests of people on this island.
“We face a common threat. Our response to this virus, and to the supply of vaccines, should be characterised by our common values. I am a proud European because I believe in cooperation, compromise and solidarity across national borders. This decision sadly places the Commission at odds with those values.”
UUP leader Steve Aiken said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis should be embarrassed.
He added: “The EU is unilaterally invoking Article 16 to protect its own interests and it’s about time the UK Government did the same instead of being lead actors in a ridiculous charade that there is no border in the Irish Sea and that Article 16 can’t be invoked.”
The chairman of the House of Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee, meanwhile, has said it was was “unconscionable folly” for the EU to escalate its vaccines row by triggering Article 16.
Simon Hoare said: “Vaccines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, which account for 100% of Northern Ireland’s coronavirus vaccines, will continue so the public have no reason for fear, but it’s unconscionable folly to escalate a contract dispute with a supplier to affect the so recently agreed, and still bedding in, NI Protocol.
“We need calm, stability and level-headedness.”
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha, Órla Ryan and the Press Association
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That’s Brexit for you Arlene, your party was lead by the nose over that cliff edge.
@Jimmy Mac:
Did my numbers… If Northern Ireland had just kept the same policy as Ireland there would 662 more people in the north alive today.
That not counting the fact that Northern Ireland has been spilling the virus over on to our boarder counties especially in September to January…
Sorry but this woman has a lot of blood on her hands. A simple one island policy would have save over a thousand lives if not two thousand…
If and looks when the Northern Irish people are asked about there future, it should not matter is it UK or Ireland but that leadership like this should never be tolerated again.
Ireland is an island ignoring that has been just too expensive…
@Cowboy Paddy: But just to clarify most of the ruling parties in Northern Ireland including SF wanted to follow Ireland’s approach with school closures etc, it is the DUP and Arlene that are the problem. I believe they even used their special status so as to not impose restrictions.
@Ally Mc Culladgh: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dup-s-use-of-veto-to-block-extension-of-covid-19-restrictions-appalling-1.4410610
Using their status
@Cowboy Paddy: Seems you don’t understand the border counties. Much more traffic going into the six counties. This is for many reasons but mainly shopping.
People must buy goods where they are quite often more reasonably priced. The 5k rule is often on both sides. So when in the north it doesn’t apply.
This is an anomaly that can only be addressed at GOV level.
@Aidan Haughey: Live in Cavan
@Cowboy Paddy:
The Covid Pandemic is not over yet. Come back in a few months with your calculations when all of NI, including Arlene, have been vaccinated and we haven’t.
Also, so much for EU’s respect of the GFA and peace process by introducing a hard border on the island of Ireland.
@Cowboy Paddy: United ireland
@Cowboy Paddy: United ireland
@Cowboy Paddy: United ireland
@Cowboy Paddy: United ireland
@Cowboy Paddy: United ireland
@Jimmy Mac: Actually that is the EU for you
@Jimmy Mac: You are missing the point here, the EU are effectively putting up a border on the Island or Ireland by using article 16 which opens the door for the UK to say they will apply it too & start exporting food to the North. The EU has opened a can of worms which will cause chaos down here which will end up causing a block on all free trade across the border not just pharmaceuticals I’m sure the U.K. is quietly delighted the EU has implemented article 16 first & not the UK.
@Ally Mc Culladgh:
Agreed and there was some loyalists who wanted to have island policy…
Foster’s decision, no common sense
@Cowboy Paddy: full of mad dog poo Paddy
The returning Irish from UK and rest of world brought us the figures and deaths
But Paddy you need someone to blame eh!
@Cowboy Paddy: full of blame eh Paddy
The returning Irish from UK and rest of world brought us the figures and deaths
But Paddy you need someone to blame eh!
@Jimmy Mac: Howz that for Brexit, EU BACKS DOWN
@Joe Thorpe: This is not a good move by the EU first the British and now countries outside of the EU. What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?
EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia
The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on coronavirus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia’s program into disarray.
@Jimmy Mac: ah so when the EU break the rules it’s still the fault of the UK. Understand. Thanks for the clarity
@Jimmy Mac: Arlene just won the best of both worlds. Far from going over a cliff she has solid vaccine bridges to both the EU and the UK now, while the ditherers in Dáil Éireann have neither. We may get used to lockdowns here as the chances of getting a supply of vaccines is slim to nil.
@Marcella O Neill: because the EU actually cares about humans. The UK does not
@On the right side: and the USA is doing the same thing. Every country is going to try to look after their own citizens first. This crisis is far from over.
What , you didn’t understand what you signing off on?? Im surprised Arlene ….
Take it up with your bestie Boris….
@Eddie Michael: she can’t have her cake and eat it. Actually, now I think about it…..
This is really, really dangerous, and not thought through from the EU. Triggering article 16 should be an absolutely nuclear option. Otherwise the whole treaty is essentially worthless, as both sides can trigger 16 whenever they don’t like something. Sets a terrible precedent. Unsurprising that all sides of the political spectrum are freaking out.
@Eddie Michael: EU BACKS DOWN. Come on Arlene!
@Biscuits Patinkin: will take your comments seriously when and if you reveal your identity.
Pseudo profiles annoy me.
.
Have the courage to vociferate your opinions in your true name, otherwise, you are simply a troll.
@Biscuits Patinkin: Yes, I agree with you. I’m a big EU fan, but that was just crass.
If Northern Ireland ask Ireland for help, I believe we should, we don’t want to end up like Israel and Palestine. I know it’s easy to hate Arlene, the DUP and all that they stand for but we shouldn’t punish the ordinary citizens.
@Ally Mc Culladgh: We already have provided help. Prior yo Christmas a number of ambulance crews went north to assist. To be fair there has always been good cooperation between health services, search and rescue services to name a few.
@Ally Mc Culladgh: I agree. We want an all island approach. No point in preventing them from having the vaccine when people from both sides work together or visit the same places.
@Anne: The vaccine doesn’t stop transmission of the virus.
@Anne: Maybe she’ll send some vaccines our way.
@Cosmic: do you have evidence of this? From my understanding it does lower transmission levels? Please correct me if I am wrong
@Ally Mc Culladgh: my point exactly nail on the head and she is speaking for everyone there
@Ger Murphy: that’s why Sinn Fein has never abandoned the north!!
It seems a lot of those commenting haven’t understood what had happened. Neither Arlene nor Boris invoked article 16 and created a hard border. The EU have done that!
@Sara Davis: Most of the commentators here would not have read the article before leaping out with their dogma.
@Sara Davis: Yep, most have it all wrong here. Not surprising really. Good to see the EU is willing to risk the GFA to get access to the vaccine. Perhaps produce your own vaccines?
@Jimmy The Mouth: Wow you can’t honestly be serious? The EU has had no part in risking the GFA as you say. It was the Tories who tried to throw that under the bus.
@John: Please read the actual article. The EU tried to place a border between the north and south over vaccine supply. That would break the GFA/ Belfast Agreement.
@Marcella O Neill: in respect with vaccines!!
@Marcella O Neill: Even if John and many of the other commentator here had read the article they are blinded by an identity dogma. They are the one eyed Fomorians whose didn’t see a structure of institutional abuse towards women and children being erected under their noses. They can hardly be expected to see the international dynamics at play today. Their comments on these matters come from fairy tails
@Marcella O Neill: but they DIDN’T. Clearly the conspiracy nuts are going to have a field day with this one. Here’s a fun game: how about anytime you have an issue with the border, think long and hard about who put it there. That’s who is to blame.
@Sara Davis: The reason there is a border between the biggest and 6th biggest economic entities in the world running through the North of our island in the first place is because Arlene and the people who vote for her and the OUP want it.
In normal times this would be a regional problem but now it’s affecting everyone in the EU, not that Arlene would care about that.
A hard border introduced on the island of Ireland by eurocrats.
@Valthebear: Our resident brexit fanboy
@Setanta Stylfox: Brexit is for the Brits and good luck to them on their decision. Hope it works out for them and the EU. despite what democracy haters like yourself think.
@Setanta Stylfox:
Really! What in “A hard border introduced on the island of Ireland by eurocrats” is untrue?
@Valthebear: Democracy? Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. Your point doesn’t stand.
The empire is dead, get over it. Your anger at the EU is misguided at best.
@John: So utterly ignorant of the real world. The EU has done some very good things but it’s current machinations beyond the economic sphere are deeply flawed. Its not a simplistic binary case of EU bad or good. As for ‘empire’ and Brexit maybe stop being so politically illiterate and ask why so many Brits, especially on the left supported Brexit. They didn’t give a toss about the long gone empire of your fevered imagination.
@Valthebear: We can align our economy and have close arrangements with the U.K. or the EU. Not both. They decided to leave the U.K., so biddy bye to them, we have a much better future with the largest trading bloc on the planet than with the U.K. Why people want to bend over backwards for the U.K. is beyond me. We fought so hard for centuries for independence and yet we still bend over backwards for them and model our country off the U.K. It baffles me.
@Tomo: baffles me why we fought the Brits for 800 years to secure independence yet the EU didn’t even have the courtesy to allow us a say when they reintroduced a border to Ireland this evening. Ireland is currently uniquely positioned to enjoy access to post Brexit Britain and the EU. We are still culturally, socially and economically closely linked to the UK, whether you like it or not. The EU’s actions this week could prove very damaging to Ireland.
@Valthebear: Makes total sense but ur wasting ur time in this room. Sadly.
@Valthebear: This is not a good move by the EU first the British and now countries outside of the EU. What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?
EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia
The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on coronavirus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia’s program into disarray.
@Valthebear: why “we” lol
@Mark Murray: the border was created by the UK. The UK are to blame.
@Valthebear: the Brits who supported Brexit were lied to, and were brainwashed into thinking that the EU was the source of all of their problems. It really is just as simple as they are.
@Valthebear: the EU reversed course. Calm your jets.
@Valthebear: we Love to be ruled by others
@Drunk in Dublin: after they were embarrassed internationally. Maybe cut down on the drink cupcake.
Using the North as a back door to circumvent Uk/ EU brexit agreements. Have to say the EU moved swiftly and decisively to shut that door. No doubt the first of many scenarios that will arise as a result of Brexit. Arlene and Co would want to start getting used to it.
@Rostyballs78: The EU have triggered article 16 putting a hard border on the island of Ireland!
EU moves to stop Northern Ireland being used as a vaccine backdoor
Under its terms, goods should be able to move freely between the bloc and NI as the region remains in the single market for goods, operating under EU customs rules.
@Rostyballs78: there was no suggestion that any “back door” would be used. This was simply an EU hissy fit that has revealed how little respect they have for Ireland
@Rostyballs78: Of course they will all be voting on this in 4 years. The EU is making a hard border in Ireland more and more likely with the way they are behaving.
@LiamMac2018: My name is dirty…lol The EU have just broken an international agreement without consulting the Irish government which means there is no point in the NI protocol anymore and the American can not say anything now because its the EU thats put a hard border on the island of Ireland not the British.Your right it is 2021 and the Union Jack is still the UKs flag, what I want to know is the Irish flag the tri-colour or the EU flag?
@Rostyballs78: A storm in a tea cup. Looks like the EU has withdrawn its plans to block any imports. Hard to grasp the mentality behind the EUs treatment of the Northern Irish border in this case. Right or wrong, I felt they’d acted decisively in their decision making only to flip flop a few hours later. Sending incendiary signals in a time of turbulence wouldn’t be the smartest of moves in my opinion
@Setanta Stylfox: Two wrongs don’t make a right. But it does show the EU in a new light.
@Steve Creaton: another paid brexiteer on this site
@Mike Kelly: what precisely is a ‘paid brexiteer’? Put away your tinfoil hat.
@Rostyballs78: Invoking article 16 isn’t a game Ireland will be on the winning side with, if the UK reciprocated we would be out of the single market overnight because the UK would simply open the floodgates to the North & the EU would insist Ireland put in a physical border to protect their single market. As it is the genie is out of the bottle & foreign investors will think twice about which parts of Europe are safe to invest into without some mafia tyrant stepping in & seizing control of their companies.
@On the right side: we see your agenda, and it’s not legitimate
Welcome to Europe
@Aidan Conway: Here’s the difference though. They made a mistake here, an emotional over-reaction as humans are prone to. The difference is the EU have previously shown they can accept and learn from their mistakes and I expect them to do so here.
We’ll see I guess.
Well I hope the schadenfreude won’t be on the other foot, to mix my metaphors, when we go begging Arlene to release the surplus vaccines that NI will have access to thanks to the UK not being in the leaky EU lifeboat that we are in
@Joan Murray: Well you can go begging to your loyalist overlords.
@Joan Murray:
We will be begging Arlene for nothing, Johnson makes that decision
@Setanta Stylfox: your Brussels overlords aren’t exactly delivering on their vaccine promises..
@DK Innovation: The devolved governments control their own share of the vaccine.
@Valthebear: did you read the contract released today .. may be you should
@Mike Kelly: yes. Did you? Maybe read it again.
@Valthebear: & @Mike Kelly
Glaringly huge difference between a guarantee and a promise of best effort.
Brits turned down best effort clause and insisted on guarantee. Not surprising, considering AZ using supply chain built from scratch at UK taxpayers expense.
@Setanta Stylfox: Haha no need to go begging just yet. The EU backed down. Can you think of any reason why or is your own bigotry blinding your thought process.
@Marcella O Neill:
His kind are knuckle dragging trog.lodytes. Best ignored.
@Mark Murray: read the contract.. no agreement can supersede it .. you are not very bright
I hope this will correct some of the woolly thinking and rose tinted glasses regarding the EU which has become so prevalent over the past number of years. The EU, as it did 10 years ago in forcing the Dublin government to bail out the banks, will always put its own interests above those of, what they consider, a small peripheral state.
@Des Dalton: Brussels didn’t decide, the Irish FFFG cabal decided. You can keep screaming lies all you want, but that doesn’t make it true.
The EU are showing their true colours! So much for their concern for the GFA and ensuring no hard border on the island of Ireland. They have invoked article 16 so there is now hard border. If anyone was in any doubt about the EU, this single irresponsible action has proved that they can’t be trusted.
@Sara Davis: von der Lyon is a spoofer who’s out of her depth !!
Must be so draining having no happiness in your life.
Who exactly in the EU made the decision to trigger article 16 without consulting the Irish government about it first, only to walk it back 2 hours later.
what exactly do they think they were playing at to disregard the Good Friday agreement like that.
unfortunately the damage has already been done to the reputation of the Irish government and the EU in negotiations with northern Ireland.
This should be a wake up call to everyone in Ireland.
Incredible decision by Brussels . Thank god it was revoked within hours. They have no understanding of the importance of peace on this island.
@Terry Cahill: they never did. As once again Ireland was used by foreign interests. Hopefully people will now see really what the EU is. It has changed utterly from a free trade and travel area with a certain level of pooled sovereignity to an organisation with a dynamic of its own motivated by ‘ever closer union’ to claim powers in financial, economic and now political power..along with the new defence initiative revealed recently.
@Terry Cahill: Couldn’t agree more.
@Valthebear: calm yourself, cupcake. The decision was reversed. Have a doggy treat and take a nice long nap
@Terry Cahill: Too far removed from it.
@Drunk in Dublin: actually maybe you should drink more.
How can the eu close our border to anyone or anything. I never voted for this.
Major violation of NI protocol. Major breach of trust on part of EU.
Why should Ireland, nevermind UK, now trust the EU. If brexiteers need proof that EU was using Ireland as a stick to beat the British and had no interest in the GFA or peace on the island of Ireland, this is it.
What you have seen here is a sneak into the future. The EU roadmap is for a Federal Europe, they haven’t hidden it or hoodwinked anyone….. our leaders have yielded the powers.
At the end of the day you wanted the benefits of EU integration so, you’ll have to bend over and take this.
Shocking decision mind. Imagine if the British government had done this. Ireland would be in uproar. Hilarious to see the Usual Brit Bashers trying to dress this up though
@Jack Inman: This is not a good move by the EU first the British and now countries outside of the EU. What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?
EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia
The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on coronavirus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia’s program into disarray.
@Jack Inman: exactly. We also have short memories of how we were treated during the financial crisis.
@Valthebear: all the paid brexiteer on the site tonight .. their Facebook group is working well , unfortunately their lack of knowledge of Irish political scene is making it quiet embarrassing
@Jack Inman: should you not be taking the measurements of an inside leg ..
@Mike Kelly: who is paying me? Go on tell me buddy. You really are beyond parody if you think someone is paying people to comment. Is that all you can offer when you can’t debate someone? Come on, tell me where I can get this magical payment for daring to have a different opinion to you, I need a few quid..
@Valthebear: not allowed to make a factual point on here that goes against the party line!
For the record I am not a brexiteer. The EU is a great concept especially for smaller countries and large exporters like Germany but, at the end of the day this sort of thing is going to become evermore frequent as it moves to further integration. People are too blinkered to understand that
@Jack Inman: indeed, agree, fair points.
@Valthebear: Point proved .. you don’t even understand the localised use and meaning of the term “paid up”
@Mike Kelly: what did you prove to yourself Mike? Maybe you could become one of those imaginary paid brexiteers you dream about and get yourself a few quid to read some history books..
@Valthebear: read my comment above , you still don’t understand the use of the term.. you are not from around here, are you
@Valthebear: UK lent us a few bob as I recall.
@Jack Inman: https://www.ft.com/content/7a43c4ae-d496-11e9-8367-807ebd53ab77 Really
@Mike Kelly: so I’m not from around here Mr Kelly? Well if that were true it means you are also a racist for discriminating against non Irish people having a voice on this issue. But then you also presumably see yourself as a European? So which is it? By the way I’m Irish much as it pains purveyors of ignorance as yourself. Maybe actually learn to articulate an argument properly before embarrassing yourself ?
And her opinion is valued by who other than flat earthers?
I’m as pro EU as they come but what the hell are they playing at here? Earlier this evening the EUs website mentioned the triggering of A16, its since been removed with a government source here saying “it must have been triggered by someone with little knowledge of what all it entailed”.
Clearly AZ have fooked up regarding their commitment re vaccine numbers but if they can’t commit to giving part of the supplies from UK factories then hit them in the pocket. Turning the supply of vaccines into a political football is unsightly and unnecessary. GB and NI are not at fault here, AZ are.
@Ger: Incredibly embarrassing for the EU.
@Ger:
@Ger: AZ are not, the EU are. We are at back of the queue. BRITS got a cast iron guarantee for 100 million vaccines from UK factories. EU got “best effort” contract 3 months after the British signed theirs. 100% EU screw up. If this was China it would be the firing squad for Ursula and company.
@Mark Murray: the contract said that supplies of the vaccine would come from all of the plants including the two British ones. Now AZ are giving Britain first preference on supplies made in the UK. So the row will probably rumble on.
@Ger:
According to AZ’s French CEO, Pascal Soriot, in La Repubblica, it is in the UK contract. Guarantee, not best effort. One will stand up in court, the other will not.
When the EU start referring to societal and moral obligations, you know that they know that they screwed up the contract.
@Mark Murray:
BTW I have more than 10 years of drafting and reviewing contracts for a large government department.
@Mark Murray: lol
I don’t blame the EU for doing this if it transpires that manufacturing facilities in the EU have been pushing vaccine through NI into UK at the expense of EU orders. We saw this in China where the government stepped in, took control of PPE supplies and raised the prices even after contracts had been signed. All week I’ve seen smug Tory’s on TV laying into the EU. Going it alone means having the capacity to make your own. Funded by EU and being produced in the EU and sent to UK? Eh no. My understanding is they triggered article 16 in relation to vaccines only and not any other goods. It doesn’t mean the border has to be manned. It means vaccine exports must be declared prior to departure where they will most likely be refused departure. It won’t get to a stage of checking trucks at borders as no.comlany would try to do this. Irish government need to relax a little, N.I. can still receive its vaccines from UK (if they can produce enough),,. The UK can wave its contract around all it wants. They specifically didn’t want any ECOJ jurisdiction anywhere so their contract with Asrrazenica doesn’t mean a thing to the EU. This is what happens when you think you can play fast and loose with your neighbours.
Micheal Martin played a diplomatic blinder today, averting violent troubles and keeping good supply chains between our interdependent countries. There is no place for Vaccine Nationalism ever. We all have loved ones in the UK and elsewhere waiting for their vaccine.
@Eileen O’Sullivan: Really? Was our asleep at the wheel Taoiseach even informed of the original EU decision?
UNDER THE BUS!
I think she is right to stand up and let her voice be heard while our clowns sit back say nothin
@Marty Lawless: Ah Marty are you bowing to your loyalist overlords.
@Marty Lawless: That’s not true. Martin dealt with it well.
At the back of this isdue is a complete lack of trust in a company supplying a vaccine we have to trust with our lives.
Give me the Pfizer one please.
Take a long swim across the sea Arlene …
@The dark raider…. Don’t Buy British Products .: it’s an even longer swim across the sea to Brussels
I believe the countries with the money
will screw us both North and South.Of course we should help one another and support one another
Time for cool heads all round. All politicians both side of the border were slighted by this action. Give it 24 hours and I am sure a reversal of sorts will take place.
United ireland
This is not a good move by the EU first the British and now countries outside of the EU. What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?
EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia
The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on coronavirus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia’s program into disarray.
@On the right side: Murdoch’s Australian – it is a rag. All of Murdoch’s media is just propaganda, to brainwash the vulnerable. Get back in your box, troll.
@A Well Known Comical Stereotype: a troll because they don’t share your opinion? Why not debate the content of the link he/she shared?
The EU have triggered article 16 putting a hard border on the island of Ireland!
EU moves to stop Northern Ireland being used as a vaccine backdoor
Under its terms, goods should be able to move freely between the bloc and NI as the region remains in the single market for goods, operating under EU customs rules.
True colors by EU. Don’t care about the erecting a border. First opportunity…. Disgraceful…
This is a warning from EC. to use goods from EC smuggled to the UK. The Irish government was still sleeping and didn’t notice. There is no border on the Island, and their is no control between NI and UK. So happy days for the clever boys, have a laugh after 1 month they notice something, now blame the vaccine.
United ireland
@frank griffin: The EU have triggered article 16 putting a hard border on the island of Ireland!
EU moves to stop Northern Ireland being used as a vaccine backdoor
Under its terms, goods should be able to move freely between the bloc and NI as the region remains in the single market for goods, operating under EU customs rules.
Why is rte always quoted in government tweets TV3 is never mentioned
@Richard Russell: Martin is a public sector hack!!!
@Richard Russell: if your waiting for tweets from TV3, something tells me you might be waiting a long time!
“What a f o o l I was. I was only a pup p e t, and so was Ulster, and so was Ireland,
in the political game that was to get the Conservative Party into power.”
Irishman Edward Carson
Von der Leyen is an embarrassment to women Maybe it’s the full moon. . Some of us are not suited to power.
All going downhill
On one hand it was a hair brained move by the EU which had emboldened unionisim and loyalism further and this could get messier down the line as things are even more toxic now
But the blame overall lies squarely with the DUP/Loyalism who thought the little Englanders of the ERG would continually cuddle up to them
They had a deal, Theresa May’s deal which was generous and a winner for all sides
They paid the price for acting the big men/women by holding the British Govt to ransom
The protocol is the result of their own handiwork
@McCrory จิมมี่: The May deal was not good for Britain…
Perfidious Albion at it again, using NI as a back door to sneak in Astra Zenica from stock contractually commited to the EU
@Ger O’Reilly: Jeez!
@Ger O’Reilly: So the British are going to smuggle their vaccines that are made at 2 AstraZenica sites in GB into Ireland then into NI then back into GB before they vaccinate their citizens that the British tax payer paid for and paid for upgrades needed for the 2 sites to produce the vaccines, which in their contract was guaranteed unlike the EU contract that says best reasonable effort???
@Mark Murray: This is not a good move by the EU first the British and now countries outside of the EU. What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?
EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia
The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on coronavirus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia’s program into disarray.
@On the right side: no the U.K. production facilities were paid by the advanced payment of 345 million by Europe. The U.K.
Paid only 65m into initial development. Even the British don’t deny that
@Mike Kelly:
Not true. UK taxpayer built UK production supply chain from scratch on condition that AZ vaccine would be sold at not for profit and first 100 million doses are exclusively for UK.
@On the right side:
“What will all the companies based inside the EU who sell their goods to non-EU countries be thinking right now?”
Answer: What other part of the world will we relocate to and we will not invest anymore into the EU.
@Mark Murray:
According to their French CEO, Pascal Soriot, in La Repubblica, it is in the contract.
@On the right side: I read the article and comments on the link you provided. Lots of Aussie hostility and hate towards the EU. “With friends like these, who needs enemies” and so on. I can’t blame them. However, they are in a much better, more competent place than the EU are at the moment.
@Mark Murray: incorrect read the contract .. “ no other contract can supersede it” .. go back to the daily express where you belong with your illogical propaganda ..
@On the right side: no Europe paid 345 m for these facilities, the U.K. gov paid 65m for initial development, fair play but without eu investment this vaccine would not exist
@Mark Murray: Astra redacted the page of definition of costs after Europe threatened to publish the whole document in redacted
@Ger O’Reilly: you didn’t think that one through..
@Mike Kelly: British contract guarantees 1st 100 million doses from UK factories. EU contract ensures nothing more than best effort to deliver. Read La Repubblica interview with Pascal Soriot. Amount redacted at request of EU as confidential to the EU. When the EU refer to societal and moral obligations, you know, that they know, that they screwed up the contract and do not have a leg to stand on. Just like unilaterally imposing a hard border in Ireland and then backing down a few hours later shows the level of, not just panic, but unbelievalble incompetence with the Commission. Watch this clip twitter.com/i/status/1171452886435258369 just to see who is charge. Hilarius! “Go back to the Daily Express” and “illogical propaganda”. Oh dear, have I rattled your cage. Such childishness! At least I am not an EU cultist.
@Mark Murray:
BTW I have more than 10 years experience drafting and reviewing government IT and consultantcy contracts at a large Irish goverment department. I won’t say which department.
@Mike Kelly: That cant be right because the EU didn’t even place its orders until relatively recently. Investments were made to facilitate the research & before you get excited Mr Trump invested a billion dollars of US taxpayers money into this research too. The UK government purpose built the UK production facilities in the face of EU export bans of PPE because they knew what would be coming down the road. The EU could have gone off & built production capacity too but it didn’t. The EU is bad actor here not AZ & certainly not the UK, it’s completely bizarre to even think the UK would be smuggling vaccine across the border from ROI when we would be grabbing everything that landed here for ourselves.
@Mark Murray: I can tell you exactly what department you work for.
Every now and then the EU pull the bus out of the garage just to remind us they could still throw us under it.
The EU showing its true colours .
The government, bound by that austerity ESM treaty, is relying on commission vaccine advance purchase scheme with suppliers that amount to NOUGHT unless member states send back order forms in which in the case of Astra member states and Commission undertake to assist Astra in getting all components to make vaccine (not put up border control in breach of protocol) and admit that if Astra can’t roll out vaccine on an ESTIMATED delivery date cos of competing contract (UK forced to rely on Astra to supply more of vaccine cos Pfizer commitments to Germany and the deal with Pfizer and Curvac by commission allow them to honour these contract first before rolling out ther vaccine .. in short we get vaccine when suppliers can deliver it ASSUMING they are obliged to.
No wonder government cant predict arrival date of vaccines under this scheme
TD not holding government to account at all on the merit of this advance purchase scheme which requires member states to pay up front payment to suppliers of 336 million to Astra and amount to Curvac redacted but no obligation to deliver save when they can?.
To those telling kicking at UK GROW F UP.
Astra Zeneca are the meat in the sandwich.
Seriously, did they not read the emails ffs.
In my humble opinion, all rules should not apply to delaying or preventing life saving equipment to the whole world. We’re not numbers and ticks and crosses on a computer, we’re all human beings. We should all unite in every country to eradicate this virus and not be nitpicking like school children
A storm in a teacup being exploited by Unionists’ & Exiteers.
@Rúraíocht: Is it?
See Astra order form to be completed and delivered back to Astra by ALL member states who have NOT OPTED out of the Commission APA scheme by which each of them UNDERTAKE to assist Astra in getting all components necessary to make vaccine (file from Belgium to UK not stick border up on our island) and if Astra can’t roll out vaccine to Ireland on an ESTIMATED delivery date cos of competition agreement (Curvac or Pfizer to Germany who are allowed honour them under APA with them) then Astra not in breach of any contract with Commission or individual member states.
No wonder Govt cant predict arrival of vaccine under this scheme.
TD not holding government to account to DAIL merits of this commission scheme that requires member states to make up front payment to suppliers ( 336 million to Astra. Amounts paid to Curvac redacted) bound by terms of a treaty that make austerity terms of bailout loan a term of an intnl treaty not ratified by DAIL.
@Rúraíocht: jeez.. seriously ? You really don’t understand at all do you ?
Make your bed and lie in it
have your say