The European Commission is working on a lawsuit against AstraZeneca (AZN.L) after the drug manufacturer stopped supplying COVID-19 vaccines to the European Union. The Swedish company has contributed to significant delays in introducing the vaccine in Europe after repeated cuts in supplies to the block.
Politico first reported the news of the lawsuit on Thursday. An EU official involved in discussions with drug manufacturers confirmed that the Brussels authorities are preparing to sue the company. “The EU countries have to decide whether they will participate. It is a matter of fulfilling the deliveries by the end of the second quarter,” said the official.
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It was discussed at a meeting with EU diplomats on Wednesday, at which most EU states supported legal action, two diplomats told Reuters. However, the largest, Germany and France, asked for more time to reflect on the possible move, said diplomats.
“What matters is that we ensure the delivery of a sufficient number of doses following the company’s prior commitments,” a commission spokesman said in a statement emailed. The spokesman later said at a press conference:
“No decision has yet been taken on this legal measure.” An AstraZeneca spokesman said the company was not aware of any procedure “and continues to hold regular delivery discussions with the Commission and the Member States.”
In March, the European bloc sent a legal notice to the company in the first step of potential court proceedings. A spokesman for the commission said when the deadline for a reply expired this month, the matter was discussed with the drugmaker. But the EU was still seeking further clarification from the company on “several outstanding points.”
