FRANCE has urged the EU, UK and US to give up supplies to life-saving coronavirus vaccines amid growing fears that China and Russia are dishing out jabs to extend their diplomatic influence.
“If we take a look at the number of people who have had both injections in the UK and the EU, France included, we see that the number of fully vaccinated people is lower in the UK.
“The British have taken more risks, which has allowed them to go faster. What is happening in the UK is not something I would like to have here. It’s a strategy of massive vaccination with more risks.”
Britain has administered almost 16 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, more than 22 percent of the entire population.
France is lagging behind having only delivered just 2.8 million doses – five-times fewer than the UK – at a rate of 4.42 – slower than the EU average.
FRANCE has warned the European Union could punish vaccine giant AstraZeneca if the firm is found to have prioritised its contract to deliver jabs to Britain over the bloc.
More London-based financial firms are expected to relocate to France this year after Britain completed its Brexit transition, the head of the French central bank said on Tuesday.
| UPDATED: 18:00, Wed, Jan 13, 2021
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US Customs and Border Protection yesterday announced swathes of new punitive sanctions on trade between the EU and America in retaliation against subsidies to aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The new retaliatory measures, which threaten to plunge European businesses into chaos, have targeted French wines and certain aircraft parts. French wine and cognac makers face a fresh 25 percent trade levy when exporting to the US, while aircraft parts included on the list will be subject to a 15 percent tariff.