AZ - EU contract published

[Davros]

Breaking news on BBC

^^ Yes but everyone in the EU can vote out their MEP

So different MEPs can join the gravy train.
While the eurocrats keep their plush jobs and the best public sector pensions in Europe.
While the corruption continues amidst a refusal to reform.

Doesn't 🇧🇪 have serval languages?

Quite strange if it's written in English's?

Oh dear prh does that mean the EU could be in trouble for that?

Can they legally block the pfeizer vaccine being exported? That's actually quite worrying as I has my first one this morning and the text says the second one should be the same vaccine.

How is it that Germany managed to do side deals for vaccines by the way? I mean what loopholes were exploited there?

Quite strange if it's written in English

I may be wrong, but I thought it was standard for contracts of this nature to be drawn up in English, as a universal language.

It isn't all the redacted text but yes, I can confirm that substantial chunks of it are visible in Adobe Reader.
😮

EU Commission holding news conference live on sky now.

@DrunkenKoala report back!!!

Sorry on way out hoping someone else would report back

@DrunkenKoala

EU Commission holding news conference live on sky now.

That must have been quick - not on anymore!

voting out their MEPs - will have no impact - the MEPs do not initiate laws the EU Commission does.

Our government initiate laws and we can get rid of them at elections. You can't get rid of the Commission. Other EU countries would have to vote for their own exit from the EU authority and choose to become sovereign countries again (before that ability is removed from them by the ever closer union). Voting out MEP won't change anything.

The EU gave money to French and German vaccines - keeping money "in-house" that have failed to get through to trials - do we think if Oxford AZ had failed we would be demanding the French vaccine or extra Pfizer be directed our way etc?

Appalling exposure of everything that's wrong with the EU and central bureaucracy.

If our government failed to deliver a workable vaccine, we could vote them out at the next election - no-one gets rid of or held to account at the Commission - endless finger pointing goes on and buck stops with no-one, but apparently they've found a scapegoat for this EU failure and it's the UK for being better organised and committed about ordering and rolling out production.

An article in The Spectator draws attention to clause 6.2:

'In the event AstraZeneca's ability to fulfill [sic] its obligations under this Agreement is impeded by a competing agreement entered into by or on behalf of the Commission … AstraZeneca shall not be deemed in breach of this Agreement as a result of any such delay due to the aforementioned competing agreement(s).'

@itsgettingweird

Oh dear prh does that mean the EU could be in trouble for that?

Can they legally block the pfeizer vaccine being exported? That's actually quite worrying as I has my first one this morning and the text says the second one should be the same vaccine.

It may be a breach of confidentiality. If AZ are aware of this I would imagine they might use it as a lever in discussions with the EU.

An export ban goes against everything the EU supposedly stands for but yes, they could do it. They can't ban exports completely, but they could prevent vaccine manufacturers from exporting until they have delivered the doses they committed to deliver to the EU.

@Ohthatsgreat

Apparently the EU has to take down the contract and reload it. Why? The original upload had the redacted text visible in Adobe reader bookmark section in plain text. Expecting screenshots of those redacted bits to start floating around at some point.

🤣

Interesting that, unless what we're seeing is a translation, the contract is in English. I don't think a contract written in French or Dutch would have any status in English law. And even if a contract is written in multiple languages, as I understand it usually only one has actual legal status in the event of a dispute.

No requirement for English law contracts to be written in English. You could write it in Simlish and it would still be a binding contract if it was sufficient in terms of intention etc.

Sometimes international agreements also include a version written in another language so that each party has a version in their own language (usually formatted in two columns). Some other jurisdictions will have legislation which specifically states which version takes precedence in the event of a conflict. If not, it's good practice to specifically state this in your contract.

@HeyHeyImABeLeaver

It isn't all the redacted text but yes, I can confirm that substantial chunks of it are visible in Adobe Reader. 😮

oh my word

Are there any contract lawyers here? Or international pharma experts?

Because what I can see is people blindly repeating what they've read in the Daily Mail as if it is gospel. It isn't.
This isn't a simple matter.

(also I agree with the EU)

Haven't they heard of printing a document and then getting a black marker, crossing things out and then scanning that?

"I don't think a contract written in French or Dutch would have any status in English law."

It absolutely would. Most international contracts are written in English but it's not a requirement.

(also I agree with the EU)

On what basis?

I

@MarshaBradyo what does it mean about redacted text, I'm being really thick here

Oh dear. Any trainee lawyer knows not to redact that way!

Our government initiate laws and we can get rid of them at elections.

Indeed - another advantage of Brexit. Our politicians can no longer simply “blame the EU” (the standard response of yore by any politician when anything went wrong). They’re now totally accountable to us and there’s nowhere to hide.

also I agree with the EU

Then you’re in the wrong.

I believe that the average EU citizen (paying attention) is blaming EU commission/leaders for this cock-up, too. I can be pro-EU and still recognise a big cock-up.

The seemingly better qualified Twitterati seem to think that AZ have messed up by over-promising to both UK & EU, but ultimately it will take so long for lawyers to sort it out that only lawyers will benefit from the argument.

This is my best hit so far, in trying to find commentators (lawyers) who start from a position of "what does this say" rather than what outcome they want or whose side do they already love/hate.

[quote Bookriddle]@MarshaBradyo what does it mean about redacted text, I'm being really thick here[/quote]
Redacted information is information that cannot be shared due to confidentiality reasons. Usually it's because it's 3rd party information you don't have permission to share.