- The European Union took on AstraZeneca Plc AZN in a Brussels court and accused it of diverting doses promised to the bloc to other nations.
- EU’s lawyer, Rafael Jafferali, asked the court to force the company to pay €10 per dose for each day of delay as compensation for breaching the EU contract, reports Reuters.
- The fine could be as high as €200 million ($244 million) per day from July 1, AstraZeneca’s lawyer Hakim Boularbah told the court, asking the judge to revise it down in case of an unfavorable verdict.
- AstraZeneca’s contract signed with the European Commission foresaw an initial 300 million doses, with an option for another 100 million.
- The doses were expected to be delivered throughout 2021, but only 30 million were sent during the first quarter.
- Brussels wants the company to deliver at least 120 million vaccines by the end of June. AstraZeneca had delivered 50 million doses by the beginning of May, just a quarter of the 200 million vaccines foreseen in the contract by then.
- Jafferali said the EU was seeking an additional penalty of at least €10 million for each breach of the contract that the judge may decide.
- A verdict is expected next month.
- AstraZeneca has long insisted that the doses mentioned were not binding targets and that the deal stated it only had to “best reasonable efforts” in delivering them.
- “It’s very shocking to be accused of fraud,” Boularbah said, branding the EU’s claim “a groundless accusation.”
- Price Action: AZN shares are down 0.62% at $56.56 during the market session on the last check Wednesday.
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