Source: European Parliament
On 16 January 2024, the Commission published a call for tender for the supply of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine under the Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA). 18 countries expressed interest to participate in the joint procurement to contribute to their preparedness and security of supply.
The Commission also launched a call for tender for protein-based COVID-19 vaccines under the JPA on 16 July 2024.
Both calls for tender specifically target COVID-19 vaccines tailored to the latest circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. This is in line with European Regulatory[1] and the World Health Organisation (WHO)[2] recommendations for updating COVID-19 vaccines strain composition.
The primary purpose of the two calls for tender was to bolster contracting authorities’ preparedness and supply security, while guaranteeing access to adapted vaccines.
The calls did not apply a comparative criterion for safety or efficacy between adapted mRNA vaccines and other COVID-19 vaccines, with marketing authorisation in the EU, but both target two different vaccine technologies, based on the needs expressed by the parties to the JPA.
The COVID-19 vaccine contracts enabled Member States to have access to COVID-19 vaccines adapted to SARS-CoV-2 variants as they received a marketing authorisation within the EU.
- [1] https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/public-health-threats/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-19-medicines/public-health-advice-covid-19-medicines#advice-on-covid-19-vaccines-13334
- [2] https://www.who.int/groups/technical-advisory-group-on-covid-19-vaccine-composition-(tag-co-vac)