Italy Blocks Australia’s AstraZeneca Vaccines Under EU Rule
- Move uses powers under recent EU regulation to monitor exports
- European Commission didn’t object to Italy’s recommendation
Photographer: Kay Nietfeld/DPA/Bloomberg
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Italy has blocked a shipment of the AstraZeneca Plc’s coronavirus vaccine to Australia, using a recently introduced European Union regulation for the first time, in a move that risks triggering a global backlash.
Under the so-called export transparency mechanism, countries have to inform the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, of their decisions to block or allow exports of vaccines outside the bloc. The commission didn’t oppose Italy’s decision, an EU official said. The company declined to comment.