Very good news for youngsters and family, especially for risk groups
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EMA to speed up procedure
"This is very good news for youngsters and their families and especially for young people who belong to risk groups including youngsters with serious lung disease, cancer or Down’s syndrome. Those should be vaccinated as soon as possible“, this was the reaction of the health spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr. med. Peter Liese after the FDA announced its approval of the BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year old youngsters.
The EMA originally planned the approval only for June. “I am very happy that the head of EMA Emer Cooke announced now that approval is possible this month. Last week I had the opportunity to talk to Emer Cooke and urged her for prioritizing this procedure. Of course, safety is essential, especially when it comes to children and youngsters. However, it is also a question of priorities. EMA is able to grant the original market licensing two weeks after receiving the application. That has been done for the approval of AstraZeneca, for example. I think that young people should be a priority for all of us”, said the doctor and MEP.
Vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds must be approved as soon as possible, May is realistic
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Moderna also publishes good results / With the vaccinations Corona will completely lose its horror in a few weeks for vaccinated people
"I think it is very important that the vaccines by BioNTech and Moderna are approved for 12- to 15-year-olds in the European Union as soon as possible," said the health policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr. med. Peter Liese. "BioNTech's application for approval of its vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds had already been submitted last Friday after a very successful clinical trial (100% effectiveness). Yesterday, the company Moderna had also published its data from the clinical trial showing a protective effect of 96% and very low side effects for 12- to 15-year-olds. I have appealed to the Executive Director of EMA Emer Cooke to carry out the process of approval as quickly as possible. While there probably won't be enough vaccine for all 12- to 15-year-olds before the summer holidays, we need to focus especially on the vulnerable groups.
Children and adolescents with Down's syndrome, severe lung diseases or during cancer treatment are at great risk and since incidence rates are currently falling rapidly across Europe, it is necessary and justifiable to reopen schools before the summer holidays. However, we need protection for the high-risk children then and if this can begin already in May or early June, we would achieve a lot. This is a question of changing an existing authorisation and therefore I would have no understanding if it took longer than four weeks," said Liese who worked as a ward doctor in a children’s hospital prior to his election. He informed that BioNTech and Moderna also expect the results of a clinical trial for children between 6 months and 11 years in a few months.
Read more: Vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds must be approved as soon as possible, May is realistic
Environment committee votes in favour of European climate law with large majority
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MEPs of Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and the liberal Renew Group voted in favour / Left, Right and Greens against / Peter Liese criticizes voting behaviour of the Greens / Historic agreement not appreciated
The Environment Committee of the European Parliament voted today, Monday afternoon, on the agreement of the European climate law. A large majority voted in favour (52/24/4). Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and the liberal Renew group voted in favour. The Left, the right-wing ID group and the Greens voted against. The law states that climate neutrality as a whole in the EU is legally binding the latest by 2050. The target for 2030 is set at 55%. This has always been the position of the Christian Democratic EPP Group from the starting point of the negotiations. Liese criticized the voting behaviour of the Greens. "We have reached a historic agreement. The whole law means a giant step for European and global climate protection. We are the first continent to actually make climate neutrality legally binding, and we will again significantly accelerate climate protection with the 2030 target. We need to cut greenhouse gases by more than 3% a year. Anyone who says that this target not ambitious does not know what they are talking about. It is a pity that the Greens are voting against the law together with the right-wing party," said the environment spokesperson of the biggest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr Peter Liese.
Read more: Environment committee votes in favour of European climate law with large majority
In fact Europe leads the world in climate policy
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US climate target of 50% / Good, that other parts of the world engage, but the targets need to be looked at in perspective and Europe should not hide its light under a bushel
Ahead of the climate summit lead by the US President Joe Biden with participation of the leading economies, the environmental spokesperson of the biggest political group in the European Parliament (EPP Christian Democrats) Dr. Peter Liese insisted not to underestimate the commitment that the European institution have agreed on early Wednesday morning in the climate law.
“Europe was the first continent that formally agreed to climate neutrality in a law and our target for 2030 is really ambitious. Together with colleagues from all the major parties in the European Parliament I sent a letter to the US administration to push them for a -50% target based on 2005. It is reported that President Biden now finally announced this target. This is really ambitious, because unfortunately Donald Trump and his policy meant a major back clash for climate policy in the United States.