Austria has broken ranks with the European Union saying it would work together with Israel and Denmark to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria and Denmark, as members of the First Mover Group founded by him, would work with Israel on vaccine production against mutations of the coronavirus and jointly research treatment options.
The announcement is a rebuke to the EU's joint vaccine procurement programme for member states which has been criticised for being too slow to agree deals with manufacturers.
Production problems and supply chain bottlenecks have also slowed deliveries to the bloc, delaying the roll-out of vaccines.