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We are talking about 27 countries with vastly different governments and cultures, of course there's bound to be drama when dealing with a pandemic as difficult

We are talking about 27 countries with vastly different governments and cultures, of course there's bound to be drama when dealing with a pandemic as difficult as covid-19 for the first time. But I'll say it's been disappointing seeing how tribal some countries have become when push comes to shove.

nemo44x 6y ago
Isn’t one of the main purposes and legitimizers of any government that it protects its citizens? I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. It sort of looks from the outside that Brexit was done just in time as the UK government is now saving more UK lives than they would otherwise. If I were an EU member I would be extremely critical of the current regime and truly question how they are legit when the EU is far behind the rest of the developed world in this. It’s not fair to EU citizens that pay into the pot of mostly unelected representation.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- SiempreViernes 6y ago
  > I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. What can we say? Once upon a time there was a belief that the world could come together and solve it problems if there just was some good will among the countries of the world. This spirit still survives in the EU leadership that have spent so much time working for that on the European scale, so they simply have too much faith in international collaboration.
  - nemo44x 6y ago
    There is lots of goodwill everywhere. But this is a vaccine to a pandemic that costs lives, livelihoods, freedom, and the ability to lead a happy life. I see new more lockdowns and EU citizens being arrested by the same government that is exporting the vaccine from them. This looks like tyranny to an outsider. And it isn’t like the exports are humanitarian. These are for profit exports. Other countries are paying top dollar for the vaccine ultimately at the cost of EU citizens quality of life. I have many EU friends and it just seems difficult for them to criticize the EU - the power that resides over them. I think one big advantage the American system has is that everyone is more or less super critical of the various American regimes.
    - rsynnott 6y ago
      > I see new more lockdowns and EU citizens being arrested by the same government that is exporting the vaccine from them. You see... the EU arresting people? That'd be a good trick. Where do you see that?
      - nemo44x 6y ago
        EU member countries. You can argue semantics all you want but ultimately the same EU member countries that rely on the EU for vaccine are arresting citizens protesting the new lockdowns. Whatever, enjoy your summer locked down. I’ll be at the beach and attending BBQ’s with friends and family.
- deleted 6y ago
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- rsynnott 6y ago
  > I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. So, if everyone had brought in export bans, then it's likely that wouldn't have been the end of it; trade restrictions on precursors and equipment and those little glass bottles (these were seriously a problem for vaccine manufacture at one point) would have followed, and world production would have ground to a halt. No country/bloc except possibly China can make a vaccine in large quantities single-handed. The EU's mistake was in being the only big producer not to ban or heavily restrict export; being the last one to do it would be very dangerous and more likely to cause escalation. That's still a concern for current proposed EU export restrictions.

nemo44x 6y ago

Isn’t one of the main purposes and legitimizers of any government that it protects its citizens? I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. It sort of looks from the outside that Brexit was done just in time as the UK government is now saving more UK lives than they would otherwise. If I were an EU member I would be extremely critical of the current regime and truly question how they are legit when the EU is far behind the rest of the developed world in this. It’s not fair to EU citizens that pay into the pot of mostly unelected representation.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
SiempreViernes 6y ago
> I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. What can we say? Once upon a time there was a belief that the world could come together and solve it problems if there just was some good will among the countries of the world. This spirit still survives in the EU leadership that have spent so much time working for that on the European scale, so they simply have too much faith in international collaboration.
- nemo44x 6y ago
  There is lots of goodwill everywhere. But this is a vaccine to a pandemic that costs lives, livelihoods, freedom, and the ability to lead a happy life. I see new more lockdowns and EU citizens being arrested by the same government that is exporting the vaccine from them. This looks like tyranny to an outsider. And it isn’t like the exports are humanitarian. These are for profit exports. Other countries are paying top dollar for the vaccine ultimately at the cost of EU citizens quality of life. I have many EU friends and it just seems difficult for them to criticize the EU - the power that resides over them. I think one big advantage the American system has is that everyone is more or less super critical of the various American regimes.
  - rsynnott 6y ago
    > I see new more lockdowns and EU citizens being arrested by the same government that is exporting the vaccine from them. You see... the EU arresting people? That'd be a good trick. Where do you see that?
    - nemo44x 6y ago
      EU member countries. You can argue semantics all you want but ultimately the same EU member countries that rely on the EU for vaccine are arresting citizens protesting the new lockdowns. Whatever, enjoy your summer locked down. I’ll be at the beach and attending BBQ’s with friends and family.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
rsynnott 6y ago
> I’m sort of shocked that the EU is allowing export outside the EU during the initial rollout. So, if everyone had brought in export bans, then it's likely that wouldn't have been the end of it; trade restrictions on precursors and equipment and those little glass bottles (these were seriously a problem for vaccine manufacture at one point) would have followed, and world production would have ground to a halt. No country/bloc except possibly China can make a vaccine in large quantities single-handed. The EU's mistake was in being the only big producer not to ban or heavily restrict export; being the last one to do it would be very dangerous and more likely to cause escalation. That's still a concern for current proposed EU export restrictions.