AstraZeneca committed ‘serious breach’ in failing to supply vaccines to EU

The European Commission’s case against AstraZeneca was heard in the main courthouse in Brussels, Belgium (Virginia Mayo/AP)

A Belgian court has ruled that coronavirus vaccine-maker AstraZeneca had committed a “serious breach” of its contract with the European Union amid a major legal battle over delivery obligations that has tarnished the company’s image.

The court ordered AstraZeneca to deliver a total of 80.2 million doses to the EU from the time the contract was agreed up until Sept 27. The ruling said the company did not appear to have made a “best reasonable effort” to meet the delivery schedule because it had not used its UK production sites.