EU seeks ‘concrete' US plan on lifting vaccine patents

French president urges US to end its de facto ban on coronavirus vaccine exports; coronavirus will no longer be circulating in Britain by August, says government’s outgoing vaccine taskforce chief

Europe on Saturday passed the ball back to Washington in a debate over COVID-19 vaccine patents, pushing the US for a concrete proposal and a commitment to export much-needed jabs.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking after a summit of EU and Indian leaders, said the EU had exported much of its own production and that America should follow suit.

“Now that a further part of the American population has been vaccinated, I hope that we can come to a free exchange of components and an opening of the market for vaccines,” she said.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to end its de facto ban on coronavirus vaccine exports.

“I call very clearly on the United States to put an end to export bans not only on vaccines but on vaccine ingredients, which prevent production,” Macron told reporters.

European Council chief Charles Michel said the bloc was ready to discuss a US offer to suspend patent protection on vaccines — once the details are clear.

“We are ready to engage on this topic, as soon as a concrete proposal would be put on the table,” Michel said at an EU summit in Portugal that discussed that subject, among others.