‘The best advertisement for Brexit’: European press gives damning verdict of AstraZeneca row

The bloc's vaccine programme has triggered an escalating row between Brussels and the 27 member states

Credit: Olivier Hoslet/Pool EPA

For much of the European press, the public spat between the European Union and AstraZeneca was just the latest Brexit battle — but there was little support for the EU’s position.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused on Wednesday to divert millions British-made doses to the EU, which is months behind in its coronavirus vaccination rollout.

The decision has been ruled a Brexit victory — even by EU member states.

“The European Commission is providing the best advertisement for Brexit,” Germany’s Zeit newspaper wrote. "It is acting slowly, bureaucratically and in a protectionist manner. And if something goes wrong, it’s everyone else’s fault.”

The EU delayed approving a vaccination by months, leaving it vulnerable to shortages, while Britain placed its faith in AstraZeneca before its effectiveness had been confirmed.

As Europe’s supplies dwindle, meetings between Britain and the EU have become increasingly frantic. Influential MEPs are stoking talk of a trade war.

"How did the atmosphere get so poisoned?“ Germany’s Bild asked, under a headline of “Vaccine row gets ever crazier”.

European newspapers have in some cases responded negatively towards to EU

“If Europe keeps messing around with vaccines like this, it’s going to prove the Brexiteers right,” Belgium’s Het Laatste Nieuws wrote in an editorial.

Under a headline of “War over vaccines” Italy’s La Stampa described the dispute as “a diplomatic clash between the EU and the United Kingdom, the first of the post-Brexit era.”

“It’s hard to imagine how they will resolve the running dispute and come up with a new distribution schedule when they can’t even agree on arranging a phone call,” wrote Spain’s El Mundo.

And there was little support for the EU’s threats to impose export bans on vaccines in retaliation.

“If that happens, that would be the end of vaccine production,” Germany’s Bild quoted an unnamed senior manager at a vaccine manufacturer. “We all have complicated supply chains which many companies in countries outside the EU. If the EU throws the first stone, others will follow suit and stop exports of raw products.”

The French press provided a rare voice of criticism for AstraZeneca’s position. Le Parisien gave a damning assessment of the company’s French chief executive, Pascal Soriot, describing his defence of the company as “tactless” and “flippant”.