Juncker: We have to pull back from a Covid vaccine war

The European Commission and the UK government should not be discussing the distribution of coronavirus vaccines in an atmosphere of war, former president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker has said.

While he understood the recent move of the president of the Commission to threaten export bans, it could create a major reputational damage to the European Union - which used to be the world free-trade champion - and was not the right way to act, he told BBC Hardtalk.

EU leaders are holding virtual talks to discuss ways of boosting supplies of coronavirus vaccines and how they are distributed across the bloc on Thursday. The Commission is seeking added controls on exports.

The UK and the EU announced they wanted to “create a win-win situation and expand vaccine supply for all” earlier this week.

Watch the full interview on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March 2021 on BBC World News or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only)