The European Union has been accused of 'bullying' and blasted as a 'total disgrace' after blocking a shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia.
Authorities in Italy have drawn on controversial export laws for the first time, refusing to grant a licence for 250,000 doses manufactured in the country to be exported.
Officials in Rome had informed the EU of its intention to act last week and Brussels did not object to the move.
The batch was halted because of 'continuing shortage of vaccines in the EU and in Italy and delays in supplies from AstraZeneca to the EU and Italy,' the Italian foreign ministry said in a statement.