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AstraZeneca row could spark an EU-UK vaccine trade war, warns MEP
Source: Euronews with Associated Press
AstraZeneca row could spark an EU-UK vaccine trade war, warns MEP
By Christopher Pitchers & Darren McCaffrey & Alasdair Sandford with AP • Updated: 28/01/2021 - 18:30
The war of words between pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the European Commission continued on Thursday after a crisis meeting the previous evening failed to resolve the row over vaccine supplies.
AstraZeneca told the European Commission last week there would be a 60% shortfall in supplies this quarter due to production problems. Both sides described talks held on Wednesday as "constructive", but they failed to heal the rift.
Belgian health authorities said on Thursday they had inspected a pharmaceutical factory to find out whether expected delays in the deliveries of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine were due to production issues, as the company has claimed.
The European Commission had asked the Belgian government to inspect the factory amid the heated public dispute between the 27-nation bloc and the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker.
The dispute could spark a UK-EU trade war unless it changes course over its vaccine supply row with Brussels, an MEP has told Euronews.
-snip-
By Christopher Pitchers & Darren McCaffrey & Alasdair Sandford with AP • Updated: 28/01/2021 - 18:30
The war of words between pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the European Commission continued on Thursday after a crisis meeting the previous evening failed to resolve the row over vaccine supplies.
AstraZeneca told the European Commission last week there would be a 60% shortfall in supplies this quarter due to production problems. Both sides described talks held on Wednesday as "constructive", but they failed to heal the rift.
Belgian health authorities said on Thursday they had inspected a pharmaceutical factory to find out whether expected delays in the deliveries of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine were due to production issues, as the company has claimed.
The European Commission had asked the Belgian government to inspect the factory amid the heated public dispute between the 27-nation bloc and the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker.
The dispute could spark a UK-EU trade war unless it changes course over its vaccine supply row with Brussels, an MEP has told Euronews.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/27/astrazeneca-row-could-spark-an-eu-uk-vaccine-trade-war-warns-mep
______________________________________________________________________
Source: The Guardian
AstraZeneca may have to renegotiate vaccine contracts, say experts
Company may be in danger of breaching contracts to supply EU due to production problem
Matthew Weaver
Thu 28 Jan 2021 19.18 GMT
Last modified on Thu 28 Jan 2021 20.01 GMT
AstraZeneca appears to be in danger of breaching its contract to supply the EU, and may have to renegotiate its contract to supply vaccines to the EU, the UK or both, legal experts have warned.
To the anger of European leaders, the Anglo-Swedish company has said it will only be able to deliver 25% of the 100m doses pledged to the bloc by the end of March due to a production problem in Belgium.
AstraZeneca has claimed that its vaccine contract with the EU obliges it only to make “best efforts” to supply the bloc. Although the terms of the deal are unknown, AstraZeneca has indicated it may publish the contract on Friday.
But an agreement between the EU and CureVac, another vaccine supplier, published last week, suggests AstraZeneca may be legally obliged to deliver more vaccines to the EU if it can be established that the company is diverting supplies to the UK.
David Greene, the president of the Law Society and a senior partner at Edwin Coe, where he litigates contracts, said: “If they (AZ) gave assurances that they made reasonable best efforts to supply the EU but were in fact diverting material from one place to another, that would on the face of it be a potential breach of obligations to use reasonable best efforts.”
-snip-
Company may be in danger of breaching contracts to supply EU due to production problem
Matthew Weaver
Thu 28 Jan 2021 19.18 GMT
Last modified on Thu 28 Jan 2021 20.01 GMT
AstraZeneca appears to be in danger of breaching its contract to supply the EU, and may have to renegotiate its contract to supply vaccines to the EU, the UK or both, legal experts have warned.
To the anger of European leaders, the Anglo-Swedish company has said it will only be able to deliver 25% of the 100m doses pledged to the bloc by the end of March due to a production problem in Belgium.
AstraZeneca has claimed that its vaccine contract with the EU obliges it only to make “best efforts” to supply the bloc. Although the terms of the deal are unknown, AstraZeneca has indicated it may publish the contract on Friday.
But an agreement between the EU and CureVac, another vaccine supplier, published last week, suggests AstraZeneca may be legally obliged to deliver more vaccines to the EU if it can be established that the company is diverting supplies to the UK.
David Greene, the president of the Law Society and a senior partner at Edwin Coe, where he litigates contracts, said: “If they (AZ) gave assurances that they made reasonable best efforts to supply the EU but were in fact diverting material from one place to another, that would on the face of it be a potential breach of obligations to use reasonable best efforts.”
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/28/astrazeneca-may-have-to-renegotiate-covid-vaccine-contracts-warn-experts
