Italy will make a significant state contribution to a planned public-private vaccine production centre to get it off the ground, Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Thursday.
Speaking during a joint press conference in Rome with EU's Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton, Giorgetti also said the participation of major pharmaceutical companies in the project was key, adding he was certain they would not stay away.
Giorgetti said the government was about to sign a decree to approve funds for 400-500 million euros ($481-602 million) for the production hub. Overall, Italy plans to set aside 2 billion euros of financing for its vaccine campaign, a draft document showed on Wednesday.
($1 = 0.8308 euros)
(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Agnieszka Flak)
