European Union v. AstraZeneca Case Begins in Brussels

A court in Brussels has begun hearing a lawsuit filed by the European Commission against the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over supplies of its Covid-19 vaccine, as the cartel’s lawyers are pressing for immediate delivery of doses from all factories, including those in Britain.

The case is the latest turning point in the European Union’s dispute with the English-Swedish pharmaceutical company and sometimes with Britain. The consortium accuses the company of failing to abide by the contract concluded with it.

A lawyer for the European Commission, the executive arm of the union, said during the case hearing that the bloc was seeking immediate orders from all factories included in its contract, including those in Britain, which broke away from the European Union.

A lawyer representing AstraZeneca said during the public hearing that the company’s contract does not include a commitment to deliver vaccines from all production plants.

In court, the first session ended in just over an hour on Wednesday, and the parties agreed to hold two sessions on May 26. The judge is seeking a ruling in June.