AstraZeneca, EU both say they won out in court dispute over vaccine supply

AstraZeneca and the European Union (EU) are both claiming victory in a court dispute over the EU’s accusation that the vaccine manufacturer was not developing doses at an adequate speed.

Both parties celebrated a Belgian Court of First Instance judge’s Friday ruling that mandated the Anglo-Swedish company provide millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses before Sept. 27.

The friction between the 27-nation bloc and AstraZeneca heightened after the vaccine supplier agreed to provide 300 million doses to make up the backbone of the EU’s vaccine supply, but AstraZeneca adjusted the expected timing of the delivery following production issues.

AstraZeneca said in a statement that the judge ordered the company to deliver 80.2 million doses of its vaccine by Sept. 27 – less than the 120 million doses requested by the end of June.

“We are pleased with the Court’s order,” Jeffrey Pott, general counsel at AstraZeneca, said. “AstraZeneca has fully complied with its agreement with the European Commission.”

But the EU also counted the court decision as a win, saying the ruling requires the company to send out 50 million doses of its vaccine by Sept. 27, according to a designated schedule. A total of 15 million doses are due by July 26, 20 million doses by Aug. 23 and 15 million doses on Sept. 27.

The European Commission said AstraZeneca will face fines of 10 euros per dose if they are not delivered on time.

“This decision confirms the position of the Commission: AstraZeneca did not live up to the commitments it made in the contract,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said.