AMSTERDAM, Dec 21, 2020, SPA -- Europe's medicines regulator on Monday approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by U.S. company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, putting Europe on course to start inoculations within a week, Reuters reported. European Union countries including Germany, Austria and Italy have said they plan to start vaccinations from Dec. 27 as Europe tries to catch up with the United States and Britain where the roll-out began earlier this month. --SPA 20:48 LOCAL TIME 17:48 GMT 0020 www.spa.gov.sa/w1471526