EU, AstraZeneca agree on Covid-19 vaccine supply, ending litigation
The European Union and AstraZeneca reached an agreement on September 3 which will secure the delivery of the remaining Covid-19 vaccine doses to EU countries under the terms of the Advance Purchase Agreement concluded on August 27 2020 with AstraZeneca, the European Commission said in a statement.
The agreement will also end the pending litigation before the Brussels court.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said: “Today’s settlement agreement guarantees the delivery of the remaining 200 million Covid-19 vaccine doses by AstraZeneca to the EU.
“While this week we reached the important milestone of 70 per cent full vaccination of the EU’s adult population, there are significant differences in vaccination rates between our member states, and the continued availability of vaccines, including AstraZeneca’s, remain crucial,” Kyriakides said.
“And as the strongest supporter of global vaccine cooperation and solidarity, we will continue helping the rest of the world. Our aim is to share at least 200 million doses of vaccines through COVAX with low and middle-income countries until the end of this year. Vaccine solidarity is and remains our trademark,” she said.
The European Commission said that the settlement agreement provides for the firm commitment by AstraZeneca to deliver, in addition to the around 100 million doses delivered until the end of Q2, 135 million doses by the end of 2021 (60 million doses by the end of Q3 and 75 million doses by the end of Q4) and the remaining doses (65 million) by the end of March 2022.
This will bring the total number of doses delivered to 300 million doses as agreed under the contract.
The Commission said that EU countries would be provided with regular delivery schedules, and capped rebates will apply in the event of any delayed doses.
(Photo: Bulgaria’s Military Medical Academy)
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