PARIS (Reuters) – The European Union will be able to meet its vaccination targets this quarter, despite delays in delivery of AstraZeneca as Pfizer produces faster than planned, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Saturday said.
AstraZeneca said on Friday it would try to deliver 30 million doses to the EU by the end of March, compared to a 90 million contractual obligation and a previous promise made last month to deliver 40 million doses.
Breton told European Europe 1 radio that the delay was unacceptable, but that there were currently no plans to sue the company.
“The good news is that although there are delays with AstraZeneca, our vaccination program will not be late in the first quarter,” Breton said.
“Pfizer is producing more, much more than planned and is going to deliver more to us,” he added.
EU leaders have been criticized for a slower rollout of vaccinations than in other countries such as Britain or the United States due to a longer approval and purchase process and repeated delivery delays.
AstraZeneca’s new document depends on the block’s drug regulator approving supplies from a factory in the Netherlands, an internal document showed, Reuters reported on Saturday.
Breton said AstraZeneca had problems with testing, which was a sign of logistical problems, and urged its board to take action.
He also criticized his French-born CEO, Pascal Soriot, for staying in Australia despite the problems, which he said meant he could visit the companies’ plants if Soriot could not.
“I would not say I know their factories better than they do, but I’m on the premises,” Breton said.
Reporting by Leigh Thomas, edited by Louise Heavens