Over summer, the European Union continues using its Civil Protection Mechanism to coordinate and finance up to 75% of transportation costs of vaccine donations from its Member States to Ukraine.

August 26, 2021.

    A total of over 3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were offered by Denmark, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Out of these, over 2.5 million doses have been delivered over the last weeks. Operations continue.
    “These donations are an important display of the European Union’s solidarity with Ukraine in the fight against COVID-19 and the EU is proud to support them via its Civil Protection Mechanism. Ukrainians must not be left behind in global vaccination efforts and I hope that the over 3 million vaccine doses from our Member States will be put to use quickly. No one is safe until everyone is safe”, said Ambassador Matti Maasikas, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
    Overall, the EU's response to the coronavirus pandemic follows a “Team Europe” approach, aimed at saving lives by providing quick and targeted support to our partners to face this pandemic. It combines resources from the EU, its Member States and financial institutions, in particular the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
    As part of this approach, since early 2020 the EU has mobilised over EUR 190 million to help Ukraine face the challenges of COVID-19, supporting its health system, frontline workers, small and medium-sized businesses and vulnerable groups. It has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism to transfer medical equipment and supplies from EU Member States to Ukraine and is providing emergency Macro-Financial Assistance worth EUR 1.2 billion to Ukraine to help limit the economic fallout of the pandemic.
    Background
    The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) is one of the tools that has been instrumental in providing support to countries requesting assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. Through the Mechanism, the EU helps coordinate and finance the delivery of vaccines, medical and protective equipment and other material across Europe and the world, to countries that seek assistance.