BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called a high-level meeting next week with Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers, Berlin said Thursday as tempers flared over the EU's sluggish rollout of the shots.

Merkel and representatives of Germany's 16 states "have agreed to meet for a vaccination discussion on February 1 at 2 pm" (1300 GMT), a government spokesman said.

"Representatives of vaccine manufacturers and related associations will also take part in this discussion in the form of a video conference," he added.