EU prepares legal action against AstraZeneca over vaccine delivery

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Thierry Monasse | Getty Images News | Getty Images

LONDON – The European Union is preparing legal action against AstraZeneca over the shortage of delivery of the coronavirus vaccine, according to four people familiar with the matter.

The EU and the pharmaceutical giant were at war on several occasions this year. The Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca said it could not deliver as many vaccines as the block had anticipated, during the first quarter and the second quarter. This has delayed the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines in the 27 EU countries.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive, told a meeting of 27 European ambassadors on Wednesday that it was considering legal action against AstraZeneca over these delivery issues, four EU officials who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. Told CNBC on Thursday. Politico reported the commission’s plan for the first time late Wednesday.

“The commission wants to move quickly. It’s a matter of days,” one of the officials told CNBC by telephone, adding that the ambassadors had “great support” for the legal action.

The same official explained that only a few legal issues are being investigated before the process continues.

A second official said the commission was taking the step because it wanted to ensure that future deliveries did meet expectations.

A European Commission spokesman contacted CNBC on Thursday: ‘What is important is that we ensure the delivery of a sufficient number of doses in line with the company’s earlier commitments. ‘

“Together with the Member States, we are looking at all options to make this happen,” the same spokesman said, not confirming or denying that legal action was being considered.

In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed disappointment at a press conference about AstraZeneca, saying: “Unfortunately, AstraZeneca has made the underproduction and under-delivery. And that, of course, has painfully reduced the speed of the vaccination campaign.”

At the time, von der Leyen said the block expects 70 million doses of the firm in the second quarter, up from 180 million.

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told EU lawmakers in February that low yields at EU production plants were causing the delays.

A medical worker holds a vial of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center amid the outbreak of coronavirus disease in Ronquieres, Belgium on April 6, 2021.

Yves Herman | Reuters

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