Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain

05/11/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2021 01:34

Spain commits to utmost flexibility in European Union over intellectual property agreement to guarantee global access to vaccines

The State Secretary for the European Union, Juan González-Barba, has taken part today in the General Affairs Council of the EU. The meeting served as a preparatory meeting for the upcoming informal video-conference of the members of the European Council and allowed for an exchange of perspectives on coordinated measures to fight the pandemic and re-establish mobility with a view to the summer.

The European affairs ministers also addressed the Enlargement, Stabilisation and Association Process, relations between the EU and Switzerland, the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe and the application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the United Kingdom (UK).

Juan González Barba welcomed the faster rate of production and distribution of vaccines, which will allow the target of vaccinating 70% of the adult population by the summer to be achieved. The ministers also addressed the plans to acquire new vaccines. The State secretary recalled that inequality in access to vaccines is not only unfair, but also poses a global health risk. Multilateral cooperation must be the cornerstone of our response to the pandemic and the EU must head up global efforts, as it has to date. In this regard, Juan González-Barba advocated at the General Affairs Council that the EU should promote the utmost flexibility of agreements on intellectual property through the WTO, along with the elimination of trade barriers to vaccine exports. These are both key elements in speeding up global access to vaccines and to defeating COVID-19.

As regards mobility, Juan González-Barba indicated that Spain is working for the swift introduction of the Green Digital Certificate, the Regulation of which is currently under negotiation between the European Parliament and the Council, which must facilitate safe travel in the EU over the summer. The State secretary also stressed the need for the certificate to be interoperable with the instruments developed by our main international partners.

Other issues
With a view to the upcoming meeting of the European Council on 24 and 25 May, the ministers reiterated the EU's commitment to achieving ambitious climate targets, along with the urgent need to implement the 'Fit for 55' strategy, which will place the EU in a position to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, paying close attention to the social dimension of the ecological transition.

In turn, Juan González-Barba and the other ministers expressed European support for the Czech Republic and other Member States affected by the restrictive measures adopted by Russia. They agreed on the importance of maintaining relations with the latter country on the agenda of the Heads of State and Government of the EU, with the aim of sending out a message of unity.

The ministers also welcomed the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe on 9 May in Strasbourg. They underlined that the contribution from EU citizens to the Conference is one of its fundamental goals. Spain is committed to the Conference being a channel for citizen participation to convey their opinions regarding the future challenges facing the EU.

The ministers also addressed the Enlargement, Stabilisation and Association Process. The State secretary underlined Spain's support for the enlargement of the EU and the need to continue pushing through the adhesion process of the Western Balkans.