The American company Novavax, which also produces in Europe, for example in Sweden and the Czech Republic, has just applied to the European Medicines Agency for marketing authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine. This step had been long expected, as Novavax had already published good clinical trial results in the spring. Unfortunately, the company was not able to ensure the necessary quality of the vaccine in its production facilities, so it kept postponing the marketing authorisation application.
Read more: Novavax applies for marketing authorisation in the European Union
"We will fight the climate catastrophe internationally or not at all," declared the environmental policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), MEP Dr. Peter Liese, with regards to the climate conference in Glasgow starting on Sunday. “Unfortunately, neither climate-damaging greenhouse gases nor their effects stop at the border. That's why we do not have to discuss first and foremost whether the European climate targets need to be raised even further, but how we can get the rest of the world on board. There are different assessments of how ambitious the European Union's climate goal of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 is. In my view, it is much more ambitious than the target that President Biden has set for the US.
"The glass is definitely more than half full, but there is still a lot to do." This is how Peter Liese MEP and environmental spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP-Christian Democrats), Dr Peter Liese commented on the outcome of the climate conference in Glasgow. "It is very positive that climate neutrality is now accepted by all. It is the new normal. When EU leaders decided on climate neutrality for the EU in 2019 during the climate conference in Madrid, we were almost alone in the world. In the meantime, not only Japan, South Korea, the USA and Australia have joined in, but also an emerging country like South Africa wants to be climate neutral by 2050. This should also be a model for EU member states like Poland, which have not yet decided to take this step themselves. Even if their date is too late, it is an important step that Russia and India have also decided to become climate neutral. However, it remains problematic that China does not want to be CO2-neutral before 2060. This is clearly too late and the European Parliament is emphatically demanding that all climate gases be included in the target, as is the case with the other states. Not only CO2, but also methane and other climate-damaging gases," said Liese, who was also deputy head of the European Parliament's delegation in Glasgow.
Read more: Peter Liese on the results of the climate conference in Glasgow:
After an advisory panel of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended an emergency approval for the vaccine of BioNTech/Pfizer for five to eleven year old children tonight, the health policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP-Christian Democrats), MEP Peter Liese, urges a careful, but speedy review of the application for approval also at the European Medicines Agency. This is particularly important for children with pre-existing conditions. The EU's delay compared to the US is not only due to the European Medicines Agency, which Liese called on to work more quickly without compromising safety, but also to the company, which still has to submit additional data. "Unlike the US, there is a somewhat more extensive review process in the EU. The conditional marketing authorisation involves the examination of additional data on effects and side effects and more experts analyse the data. In addition, unlike in the US, the manufacturer is liable in the EU procedure. Especially in the case of children, it is important to ensure the greatest possible safety. Nevertheless, the procedure must not take too long now. A delay of a few weeks compared to the US can be justified by the additional safety, but the authorisation must definitely be granted this year if no serious problems are found," said the doctor and MEP.
Read more: FDA recommends emergency approval for BioNTech Pfizer vaccine for 5-11 year old children