The European Commission has received a mandate from EU governments to negotiate advance purchases of promising coronavirus vaccines, the EU's top health official said, but it is unclear whether there is enough money available.
The bloc is scrambling to sign advance deals with pharmaceutical companies to secure coronavirus vaccines under development, fearing a successful shot might not be available for Europeans soon enough.
EU health ministers gave "overwhelming" backing for a Commission plan to use an emergency fund of currently €2.4 billion to buy coronavirus vaccines upfront, Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told journalists after a video conference with representatives of the 27 EU governments.