[DrBazza]

The EU doesn't export anything, it's AZ and Pfizer that are exporting, as per their contracts with the UK and other countries. It is up to AZ and Pfizer to decide how to use their factories to meet their contractual obligations with the UK and the EU.

The UK (companies) on the other hand are exporting vaccine components (fatty lipids) that enable those factories to produce vaccines for not only the UK, but the EU, and Australia, if it ever receives its doses.

[vrepsys]

The UK has partially funded AZ and added a clause into the contract that will prioritise UK for future vaccine exports from the UK. And that's exactly what's happening, all AZ produced in UK stays in UK)

Whereas a similar contract between Germany and Biontech (Germany paid biontech $445 million to help develop the vaccine) didn't include a clause defining export priorities. Pfizer-Biontech is exported all over the world.

Canada, for example, gets their Pfizer-Biontech from the EU, instead of Michigan where they're also produced.

[systemvoltage]

Why are people so defensive of any criticism of EU? There are a lot of good things that come out of EU, their vaccine program is a complete shitshow. Europeans should observe that and shed light on it.

The social media is full to the brim with "EU exported because they're nice guys" including the top comment on HN.

[the_mitsuhiko]

You can be both critical of the EU vaccine rollout and still find it unacceptable that the other countries are not exporting but the EU is supposed to.

[systemvoltage]

It seems like people are violently defensive in this thread. I flagged it because we are not getting down to the facts.

There are convoluted aspects of who manufactures it, where it is manufactured, what countries govern those companies, trade laws and agreements, what the contract was, what were the policies, what export/imports took place, and what is planned.

People are talking past each other.

[Veen]

> other countries are not exporting but the EU is supposed to.

People keep saying this, but the EU is not exporting. Companies with facilities in the EU are exporting. Those vaccines don't belong to the EU; they belong to whoever bought them. If the EU prevented their export,it doesn't mean they own more vaccines, unless the plan is to steal the property of other countries and companies.

[danielscrubs]

It doesn’t, but if you ban export, the value to export goes down to zero and the value in selling it domestically stays almost the same so companies will sell it there instead. Banning export is “soft” stealing.

US did ban export.

I’m all for the free market, but if export bans are ok for US it’s ok for EU, if it’s not ok for EU then it’s not ok for US.

What people will remember is the winner, and we will have increased brain drain because of it.

[breakfastduck]

The EU don't own the vaccines, it's so much more complicated than that.

[DrBazza]

> Why are people so defensive of any criticism of EU?

Or any opinion these days? Social media. The mute button, echo chambers, confirmation bias, lack of critical thought, and so on?

I think the events of the last few years will keep psychologists in business for decades.

A Douglas Adams quote feels apt:

"So long as you can keep disagreeing with each other violently enough and slagging each other off in the popular press, you can keep yourself on the gravy train for life. "

[apexalpha]

> It is up to AZ and Pfizer to decide how to use their factories to meet their contractual obligations with the UK and the EU.

Fyi this is completely untrue. The EU can (and has, now) block export of any product it wants. The US forced all domestic vaccine production sites to work for the US, while the EU failed to do so.