In fact, Europe began to fall behind in the race to get enough stocks after the Commission took office.
The four ministers had already negotiated an order for 400m doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, but the Commission was locked in lengthy talks as the UK and US received large orders.
The series came with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) about to approve the Moderna vaccine this week. This is the second vaccine approved for use in the EU, following the Pfzier-BioNTech vaccine.
Jean-Claude Juncker, former Ms von der Leyen as president of the commission, spoke out against the EU’s response to the virus, telling Luxembourg Télécran magazine the block was “weakly handled”. But he said the EU was hampered by member states’ control over health policy.
Mr Juncker said he still works as an unofficial adviser to Mrs von der Leyen, and compared himself to his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.
“I always say I look like a Ratzinger in the Vatican Gardens: I am their Ratzinger,” Mr. Juncker said, using Pope Benedict’s birth name.
“She really enjoys it, and it gives us the opportunity to share ideas from time to time, which is very helpful to both of us. Is mise Rat deringer von der Leyen. “