EU Commission

Several EU countries are receiving significantly fewer doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine than expected, after the US firm slowed shipments.

Six nations called the situation "unacceptable" and warned it "decreases the credibility of the vaccination process".

Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia urged the EU to apply pressure on Pfizer-BioNTech.

Ljubljana – Slovenian MEPs expressed support for the joint procurement of coronavirus vaccines by the EU for member states at a debate organised by the European Parliament’s Office on Friday, but they were more reserved when it comes to the idea of a health passport for those who have already been vaccinated.

Six European Union governments asked the executive EU Commission in a letter on Friday to pressure Pfizer-BioNTech, "to ensure stability and transparency of timely deliveries" of vaccines agianst Covid-19.

Brussels – State aid rules enable member states to grant state aid to press agencies as compensation for services of general economic interest, an European Commission spokesperson said on Monday. Under certain conditions, compensation may be granted without prior approval by the Commission.

Ljubljana – Lawyer and former Information Commissioner Nataša Pirc Musar believes that the funding of the STA under the most recent coronavirus stimulus package does not have to be assessed by the European Commission because, as claimed by the government. STA’s funding does not constitute state aid nor is there an administrative relationship.

The distribution of an initial 200 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech across the European Union will be completed by September, a spokesman for the EU Commission said on Monday.

EU regulators approved on Wednesday a state grant of 120 million euros ($146.48 million) for Greece's national carrier Aegean Airlines to help the airline with damage suffered during the coronavirus crisis.

Ending speculations that votes for a change in power have already been secured, the leader of KUL, Jože P. Damijan, told the press on Monday that the newly formed coalition of four left-leaning opposition parties was still waiting to secure seven more votes in parliament before filing a motion of no-confidence in the government.

Draft EU rules to be unveiled on Dec. 15 would see tech giants face huge fines or banned from the market for breaches, sources said, posing a major challenge to the likes of Google and Facebook.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has reiterated Turkey's call for dialogue in the eastern Mediterranean, suggesting the Eastern Mediterranean Conference as a way to resolve regional disputes.