EU to extend vaccine export curbs to cover Britain, backloading - source

FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled "COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" and syringes are seen in front of a displayed EU flag in this illustration taken, February 9, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission on Wednesday will extend EU powers to potentially block COVID-19 vaccine exports to Britain and other areas with much higher vaccination rates, and to cover instances of companies backloading contracted supplies, EU officials said.

The regulation is aimed at making vaccine trade reciprocal and proportional so that other vaccine-making countries sell to Europe and the EU does not export much more than it imports, one EU official said.