@noblegiraffe
I am thinking maybe things are being reported differently in U.K. to here.
So, to start on 25 Jan, per Politico.eu, AZ said to EU they would not deliver their orders of vaccines required by the contract:
“The European Commission announced a new scheme today to require companies to register any exports of coronavirus vaccines — a drastic step in response to fears that manufacturers will not live up to their commitments. "We want clarity on transactions and full transparency concerning the export of vaccines from the EU," Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides announced, adding that exports for humanitarian reasons will be exempt. EU countries must sign off on the proposed scheme, which wouldn't ban such exports but make companies alert the EU “whenever they want to export to third countries.” The announcement comes after news that AstraZeneca wouldn't fulfill the EU's full order for coronavirus vaccines in the first quarter — a move that's "not acceptable" to the EU, Kyriakides said. The company, which partnered with Oxford University to develop the jab, has cited manufacturing issues but has failed to explain what those are. Kyriakides' statement implied the British-Swedish company has sold those doses elsewhere. "The EU wants to know exactly which doses have been produced [and] where by AstraZeneca so far, and if, or to whom they have been delivered," she said.
Then 28 Jan, politico.eu reported:
“Brussels has decided to impose a mechanism on Friday under which EU countries will be able to block vaccine exports, two EU officials said Thursday. In past days, EU officials have debated whether the plan would involve hard-hitting border stoppages or merely a transparency system. The tougher version finally prevailed after relations with Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca degenerated. Under the European Commission's plan, the EU will instruct its customs authorities to block vaccine exports unless they have a prior authorization. The scheme will need to be signed off by experts from the 27 member countries, at a session also expected on Friday. EU countries would only grant such authorizations after making sure vaccine makers have delivered the doses of vaccines promised in their “advanced purchasing agreements” with the EU. Since both Pfizer/BioNTech and Astra Zeneca are below their delivery targets, this would permit the EU to block exports up to the level of weekly delivery targets. This is a significant hardening of policy. Earlier in the week, EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis sought to play down the idea of an export ban and insisted the measure would largely center on ensuring more transparency about production and shipments of drugs. One EU official was asked about whether the scheme meant countries such as Canada, which are getting their supplies from Europe because the U.S. has imposed similar restrictions, would lose out, but he said this was the responsibility of vaccine makers. “It’s up to the companies themselves to ensure they can satisfy demand,” the official said. For the EU, the new export control “is a question of ensuring that the money that we spent produces vaccines for our citizens.” Two officials said the EU would exempt shipments for poor countries and the international COVAX effort from that authorization requirement.”