In the end, AstraZeneca will only give the bloc about 80 million doses of its formula against the 100 million it committed to give, which is a third of the original contract signed in August 2020.

The ruling, which apparently will not be contested by any of the sides, was praised in communiqués both by the EU, which considered its thesis of the breach of contract by the laboratory to be proven, and by those sides, which will have a lesser obligation.

The decision confirms the Commission’s position: AstraZeneca did not comply with the commitments it made in the contract. Good to see this confirmed by an independent judge, stated European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Twitter.

The emergency trial is the first of two brought by the EU body. The first hearing in the second case will begin on September 24, to decide on the merits and possible damages.

In addition, AstraZeneca will have to pay 10 euros for each dose owed if it fails to deliver the first 15 million units by July 26, another 23 million doses by August 23 and 15 million more by September 23.

The rest of the 300 million will arrive later, with no specific deadlines defined by the courts.

ef/omr/mem/ro