After AstraZeneca's delivery problems, the European Commission has decided to take the laboratory to court in Belgium.

Because by June, 100 million doses should be received instead of the expected 300 million.

But the hearing which was held this Wednesday turned into a deaf dialogue.

Between the European Commission and AstraZeneca, dialogue seems indeed impossible.

While Europe criticizes the laboratory for not having delivered the promised doses of its vaccine against Covid-19, on the other side, we do not seem at all to have the same interpretation of the contract signed at the start.

This Wednesday, the two parties found themselves before the Belgian courts.

A procedure which should make it possible to urgently speed up deliveries.

But the laboratory has denied outright the accusations of its client, who accuses him in particular of having diverted doses of the vaccine to other countries.

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During the hearing, the three European lawyers portrayed an opaque company, in flagrant violation of the contract signed last summer.

The latter have indeed claimed that AstraZeneca has sold the same vaccines several times and accused the company of diverting 50 million doses intended for Europeans to Japan and the United Kingdom.

Brussels therefore demanded a fine of 10 euros per day and per dose if the delivery schedule was not respected.

The Commission has also called for 10 million euros in penalties.

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AstraZeneca denies everything in block

For its part, AstraZeneca has denied everything altogether.

"It is shocking to be accused of dishonesty", protested the lawyer of the laboratory before asking for evidence.

He also said that the Commission had been kept informed of the strategy and the difficulties of producing the vaccine.

"Today, there are 13 million unused doses in stock in European countries. Why then ask us to deliver more urgently to the detriment of other populations?" He asked.

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When ordering, Brussels hoped to receive around 300 million doses of the vaccine in the first half of 2021. In fact, only 100 million doses were delivered to the 27 Member States.

This significant lack of 200 million doses should have made it possible to vaccinate around 100 million additional adults and angered Europe, which did not renew its contract with the Anglo-Swedish laboratory.

The judgment will be rendered in the coming weeks.