The European Union has backed the US proposal to discuss waiving patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines.  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Brussels was ready to discuss the US-backed proposal to waive patents on Covid-19 vaccines. She stressed that Europe's priority would be to boost global supplies, and the US proposal for waiver on intellectual property protection for covered vaccines could help achieve that objective.<br />'' <br />''However, Germany, the EU's biggest economic power and home to a large pharmaceutical sector, rejected the idea, saying vaccine shortages were due to limited production capacity and quality standards rather than patent protection issues. While German Health Minister Jens Spahn said he shared Biden's goal of providing the whole world with vaccines.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">A statement issued by the German government reiterated that the protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and must remain so in the future.</span><br />