Canada PM Trudeau says EU's transparency measures will not affect vaccine deliveries

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a news conference at Rideau Cottage, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Blair Gable

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier on Wednesday, and she assured him that the bloc's measures to track vaccine exports would not affect deliveries to Canada.

"I was reassured to hear that the transparency measures taken by Europe will not affect Pfizer and Moderna (COVID-19 vaccine) deliveries to Canada," Trudeau said during question period in parliament.

This week the European Union said it wanted to require pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines inside the bloc to register in advance any exports of doses to third countries.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer)