EU eyes scheme to share surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer nations

The EU, with a population of 450 million, has already secured nearly 2.3 billion COVID-19 vaccines and candidates from six companies, although most of them still need regulatory approval.

EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides told EU lawmakers stressed the mechanism would get vaccines to poorer countries "before COVAX is fully operational", referring to the global scheme co-led by the World Health Organization set up last summer to ensure a fair distribution of COVID-19 shots across the world.

Kyriakides said the EU vaccine-sharing scheme should prioritize health workers and most vulnerable people in the Western Balkans, North Africa and poorer Sub-Saharan African countries.

It is however unclear whether the EU will donate or sell its excess doses.