AstraZeneca says EU loses legal bid for more vaccine

[EasterIssland]

AstraZeneca says EU loses legal bid for more vaccine supplies by end-June

AstraZeneca (AZN.L) on Friday said the European Union had lost a legal case against the pharmaceutical firm over the supply of COVID-19 vaccines as a court in Brussels rejected an EU request for more deliveries by the end of June.

The Anglo-Swedish firm committed in a contract to do its best to deliver to the 27-nation bloc 300 million doses by the end of June, but production problems led the pharmaceutical company to revise down its target to 100 million vaccines.

The cuts in the supplies delayed the EU's vaccination drive in the first quarter of the year, when the bloc had initially bet on AstraZeneca to deliver the largest volume of jabs. That led to a bitter dispute and to the EU's legal action to get at least 120 million doses by the end of June.

But the judge said the company should only deliver 80.2 million doses by a deadline of Sept. 27, AstraZeneca said.

www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/astrazeneca-says-eu-loses-legal-bid-more-vaccine-supplies-by-end-june-2021-06-18/

@roses2

I would love to know how many doses they actually need given the majority of EU residents are shunning AZ.

Source?

@Somarefuser

Considering how foul and threatening the EU was towards a company producing a not-for-profit vaccine, I approve of the decision.

Hear hear.

I'm not sure why the EU is still pursuing this, as most EU member states don't want AZ or only for specific age groups who presumably have been "done" by now.

I don't have a specific source for residents shunning AZ but there have been plenty of news stories about vaccination centres being half empty and countries banning it completely (at the moment) (Denmark) or for certain age groups (Ireland, Germany, Italy).

@roses2

I would love to know how many doses they actually need given the majority of EU residents are shunning AZ.

I can tell you in the Netherlands we are fine. Everyone can receive their vaccinations in the next month or so (over 18s). We don't use AZ anymore.

Interesting take on the judgement here. I am reading that the court found that Astra Zeneca "deliberately violated" the contract and did not make "best reasonable efforts".
Astra Zeneca ordered to pay 70% of costs and EU 30%.

Pfizer providing approx 80% of vaccines in France. One shot is for people who have had Covid. Now vaccinating 12+ and incidence in France 35 per 100,000.

It is a little tangential, however I read that only people fully vaccinated against Covid 19 were being allowed to enter a Bruce Springsteen concert in New York.

They were not accepting AZ as the vaccine because it is not authorised for use by the FDA.

That is only one place, though. I am a bit surprised.

@HilaryThorpe , OH had said he read something along those lines. He said that AZ are giving out an 'economical with the truth' version and press are reporting that one.

Would be interesting to see the judgement though.

Both sides are claiming they won - but the real point is that this isn't the final word as there is a second case to be heard later in the year. I agree with PP who said they are surprised EU hasn't dropped this - they don't want or need the AZ as they have Pfizer coming out of their ears!

@HilaryThorpe

Interesting take on the judgement here. I am reading that the court found that Astra Zeneca "deliberately violated" the contract and did not make "best reasonable efforts". Astra Zeneca ordered to pay 70% of costs and EU 30%.

AstraZeneca hailed the judgment, saying it had already delivered more than 70 million doses to the EU - including the first quarter total - and would 'substantially exceed' the timetable set out by the judge.

They only need to deliver 10 more by September now. So the ruling definitely did not go against them

Measures sought by the Commission had been dismissed, and the court had found that the EU had no exclusivity or right of priority over other parties the drugmaker had contracts with.

I’m confused how are both sides claiming they won

@CryingAtTheDiscotheque

Both sides are claiming they won - but the real point is that this isn't the final word as there is a second case to be heard later in the year. I agree with PP who said they are surprised EU hasn't dropped this - they don't want or need the AZ as they have Pfizer coming out of their ears!

They can't drop it because they need a scap goat as to why they are slightly behind the UK for vaccinations. Of course they have caught up nicely but that doesn't stop the flake some EU members and citizens are giving them.

We all can see this makes no sense and most European can see it is an attempt at smoke and mirrors too. However like all politicians the EU commission are going to stick to this narrative. Plus the added bonus to them is the thought of recouping some money.

www.politico.eu/article/belgian-court-rules-in-astrazenecas-favor-in-vaccine-dispute-dismisses-commissions-case/

@MarshaBradyo

I’m confused how are both sides claiming they won

The politicians are spinning it

Lets be honest Boris would try and do the same

Truely is EC spin? And AZ win?

Must admit I’m just reading posts rather than digging

Oh yippee another EU bashing thread! Vaccines in FRance are going great and now outstripping the uk and other EU countries doing even better. And just saw that Astra was found to be in breach of contract. People in France are largely glad that did not get astra zenaca.

Ok. Here is the 'other' version of what happened.

ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3090 (Court decision is in that as a pdf link, but in French)

AZ have to deliver 50 million doses by 27th September, starting with 15 million by 26th July, then 20 million between that and 23rd August, and finally another 15 million by 27th September.

In the event of non-compliance with these delivery deadlines AstraZeneca will have to pay a penalty of €10 per dose not delivered.

The judge's decision on the requested interim measures is based on the fact, that AstraZeneca committed a serious breach (‘faute lourde') of its contractual obligations with the EU.

The court also holds that AstraZeneca should have deployed all its efforts to deliver the vaccines within the agreed timetable including the British production sites explicitly mentioned in the contract – especially given the big delays in deliveries to the EU.

The EU’s behaviour over this has been nothing short of contemptible

Quite so

Does anyone know if we're making all our AZ supply in the UK now, or are we still getting any from EU countries? Because if it's the latter, I'd worry that they'll now find a way to blockade it out of spite

@Humphriescushion

Oh yippee another EU bashing thread! Vaccines in FRance are going great and now outstripping the uk and other EU countries doing even better. And just saw that Astra was found to be in breach of contract. People in France are largely glad that did not get astra zenaca.

Lol at this. Yes you are great.

We know.

The court also ruled that AstraZeneca should have used its British production sites to deliver to the EU

This is how the EU are trying to claim a victory. A couple of points here that are pigging obvious.

*The court has said AZ has delivered appropriately to their contract

*The court have said AZ need only deliver 10 million more doses by a date in September

*The court have said they should uses the UK site to help do this if necessary

*AZ have already said they plan to deliver more than this amount without the UK site anyway

Total political spin attempt by the high priestess of the EU me thinks 🙃

Holger Hestermeyer on twitter (@hhesterm ), said that it was a case of AZ doing this.

What is the lesson here? Be the first to get your press release out, at all cost. Frame the judgment as a victory. Try to preempt the other sides arguments. Et voilà.
Framing wins the day.

Goes on to say AZ wanted the lawsuit dismissed. It wasn't. The EU did not get everything it wanted, though. But AZ was held to have committed a "faute lourde". A grave breach.

@Humphriescushion

Oh yippee another EU bashing thread! Vaccines in FRance are going great and now outstripping the uk and other EU countries doing even better. And just saw that Astra was found to be in breach of contract. People in France are largely glad that did not get astra zenaca.

Brilliant I am very happy they are doing well

Your point is?

@Humphriescushion

We know.

I’m so glad we get to find out too