Israel, Denmark and Austria will collaborate in the research and distribution around corona vaccinations. The intention is to better protect people against new outbreaks and mutations of the virus.
The leaders of the three countries gathered in Israel today. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (Austria) and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Denmark) visited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. That country is the leader when it comes to vaccinations. A large majority of Israelis have already been vaccinated.
Kurz and Frederiksen are not satisfied with the EU’s corona approach and are looking for other options. Because Israel has been so energetic about the vaccinations, the country is seen by the two as a welcome ally in this area.
Among other things, the three countries will set up factories to speed up distribution. “We believe that by pooling the resources of three small but highly capable countries, we can better address these challenges,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said other countries have also expressed interest.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz added that “this pandemic can only be overcome through global cooperation.”
At the EU, they are not really happy with the action of the Member States. Officially it is said that it does not pose a threat to the European vaccine strategy and that it is a supplement. All member states will also continue to participate in the European vaccination plans. Moreover, what they do is not contrary to European rules. Countries are also allowed to obtain vaccines elsewhere.
But there is some irritation behind the scenes. It is seen as a vote of no confidence. The European Commission is also planning to increase production and speed up the approval process. But these Member States do not want to wait for that.
For the time being, the Netherlands does not intend to look elsewhere for more vaccines at this time. Political reporter Fons Lambie: “Here in The Hague, the cabinet is sticking to European cooperation, also because it is expected that the problems will be resolved within a few months. Israel, China or Russia. “