EU accused of risking lives in standoff over coronavirus medicines produced in Britain after Brexit

Sam Lowe, trade expert at the Centre for European Reform think tank, said, “After Brexit, the EU cannot ignore the UK’s role in its medical supply chains and the fact is the EU is still going to import a lot of medicine from the UK.”

...Coronavirus exposed the EU’s dependence on imports for medical supplies, particularly from China. The EU, which faces long-standing medicines shortages, should diversify its suppliers to build up its resilience to future shocks, Mr Lowe said. 

“Britain will compete with China to be the third-biggest supplier of medical products to the EU even if new trade frictions between the EU and UK reduce trade. It is in the EU’s interest to engage with the UK’s request,” he said.