EU takes on AstraZeneca in court over vaccine deliveries

EU lawyer Rafael Jafferali told the court that the company now expects to deliver the total number of doses by the end of December, but he added that “with a six-month delay, it’s obviously a failure”.

Lawyers for the European Commission, left, and AstraZeneca right, prepare arguments (Virginia Mayo/AP)

The European Union took on vaccine producer AstraZeneca in a Brussels court on Wednesday, with the urgent demand that the company needs to make an immediate delivery of Covid-19 shots the bloc insists were already due.

AstraZeneca’s contract signed with the European Commission on behalf of member states foresaw an initial 300 million doses for distribution among all 27 countries, with an option for a further 100 million.