France's Macron Calls For Easing Of Vaccine Ingredients Supply To India, Others

"India, and in particular the Serum Institute of India, has been blocked in its production by export restrictions on the ingredients needed to produce these vaccines from certain G7 economies," the French president said.

Ahead of a crucial summit of the G7 grouping, French President Emmanuel Macron has called for easing the supply of raw materials for the production of coronavirus vaccines to India and some other countries, saying such a step was absolutely necessary to ramp up manufacturing for their own requirement as well to help the African region. At a press conference in Paris, Macron also favoured a proposal by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organisation for a temporary lift on the patents on COVID-19 vaccines and said France will raise the issue at the G7 summit. He said France and South Africa will propose at the G7 summit that nations should work on exemptions for intellectual property rights, saying the patents must not create obstacles in boosting the production of the vaccines. Leaders of G7 countries France, Germany, Japan, the UK, the US, Italy and Canada are holding a summit in the British resort of Cornwall from June 11-13 with a focus on exploring ways to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.