THE EU's threat of a jabs blockade on Britain has been undermined after it emerged the Dutch refused to invest in the factory at the centre of the dispute.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1418647/...
Prime Minister Mark Rutte snubbed a plea from Oxford University for £8.5million to boost production of the AstraZeneca. When the request was made at the start of the pandemic last year, British taxpayers had already invested more than £21million in the Halix plant in the Netherlands.
“Most likely the quantities of available vaccines will be limited for several months. To avoid major delays production capacity must now be increased.”
Sources say the EU would have received millions more doses of the jab if the Dutch government had acted. Britain agreed to invest millions of pounds after experts identified Halix as a potential factory to produce the vaccine.
Scientists then approached Mr Rutte for funding to build barrels capable of holding 1,000 litres of raw vaccine.
To avert a full-blown trade war, Downing Street has proposed sharing production capacity at the Dutch plant.
Wrangling over the Halix supplies is expected to continue next week.
It is understood the talks have hit a sticky patch because of the EU’s refusal to recognise Britain’s investment in vaccine production on the Continent.
BRITONS have launched a furious attack against the Dutch Government after it refused to invest in an AstraZeneca vaccines plant in its own country - while the UK pumped in more than £20million to boost production.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte rejected an offer to help finance an expansion of the Halix plant in Leiden, which produces more than five million doses of the vaccine jab. A cross-Channel row over vaccine supplies had erupted after it was claimed AstraZeneca had used the firm to fulfil its order with the UK Government The EU is already furious with the vaccine maker after it significantly cut its expected shipment of jabs to the 27 member states.
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Brussels eurocrats are now threatening to block exports from the factory in the Netherlands unless they are being sent to EU nations.
Last week, the Halix plant was given the green light to produce jabs for the EU by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Until then, it was reported to be shipping the active ingredient to be put into vials in the UK to assist Britain with its own vaccination drive.
The EU has continued to lash out at the lack of shipments from the facility, but it has now emerged the Dutch Government turned down the chance to invest in ramping up its production capacity.
Britons are furious at the move, as tensions with the EU over vaccine supplies continue to boil over.
Reacting in the comments section of our initial story, one Express.co.uk reader wrote: "Rutte should hang his head in shame after all the attacks he made on the UK.
"But we have come to expect this sort of behaviour from the them."
A second person said: "I used to consider the Dutch a friendly nation to the UK, but this shows they are just neighbours, not friends.
EU vaccine news: AstraZeneca has been involved in a bitter war of words with Brussels (Image: GETTY)
"Shame on the Dutch."
Several other people chose to vent their fury towards the EU over the continued row over vaccine supplies.
One Express.co.uk reader commented: "The UK has acted professionally and altruistically in the development, licencing, manufacture and procurement of the Covid vaccine.
"Because they can't get their own way, the EU is acting like a spoilt brat - 'if we can't have it, we'll make sure no one else can'."
Another person added: "The EU is already finished. It's just people haven't realised yet.
"Once the UK finishes withdrawing it's restrictions while the EU is in the height of this new wave and in full lock down, that will be it."
Prime Minister Mr Rutte turned down an approach by scientists at Oxford University looking to secure £8.5 million in extra funding, according to Dutch broadcaster NOS.
Last April the Netherlands was approached by the experts as they looked to ramp up the number of vaccine doses they could produce from the Halix plant.
Oxford and AstraZeneca had already secured funding from London, and had wanted to increase production from 200 litres per barrel to 1000 litres.
Downing Street said no to additional funding, instead choosing to invest more domestically.
On April 28 last year, Dutch MP Omtzigt held talks with Mr Rutte and a day later, the Dutch Prime Minister received a letter from scientists at Oxford University confirming the request for a £8.5 million cash injection.
The letter said: “There will likely be enormous demand for vaccines if they pass the tests successfully,” the letter said.
“Most likely, the quantities of available vaccines will be limited for several months. To avoid major delays, production capacity must now be increased.”
But Mr Rutte rejected the chance to invest after AstraZeneca indicated it had secured funding from elsewhere.
However, UK insiders close to the matter claim the Dutch Prime Minister could still have given the go-ahead to the funding, as the money was not requested by Halix itself.
