Brussels, July 10 (RHC)-- The European Commission said that a possible decision by the United Kingdom not to join an EU scheme to buy potential COVID-19 vaccines up front will not affect ongoing talks the bloc is carrying out with several drugmakers.

On Thursday, British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the UK government had decided not to join the EU scheme because of concerns there could be costly delays in securing the shots.

"The fact that the UK has apparently said they would not join up to whatever contract we are able to negotiate with producers is definitely not something that is going to influence our own negotiations with the producers," the EU executive's leading spokesman told a news conference.

In related news, Norway will lift travel restrictions to and from more than 20 European countries from July 15, including France, Germany and Britain as well as some provinces of neighbouring Sweden, the government said.

Norway, which is not a member of the European Union but belongs to the passport-free Schengen travel zone, currently has some of Europe's strictest limitations on travel due to the pandemic.