Courts ruled Poland and Romania owe Pfizer billions for unused COVID-19 vaccine doses, sparking political and legal disputes over pandemic procurement.
🔗 Read the article on elconfidencial.com
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
A court in Brussels ruled that Poland and Romania must pay Pfizer/BioNTech 1.9 billion euros for vaccine doses they contracted but neither acquired nor paid for. Poland is liable for 1.3 billion euros, and Romania for 600 million euros; both countries plan to appeal. Pfizer stated the ruling underscores the importance of contractual obligations during the pandemic response. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the previous government for the contract. The Polish Ministry of Health compared the required payment to the annual cost of cancer drugs. Romanian officials suggested the payment could be converted into other useful healthcare products. Pfizer clarified that the ruling does not force member states to take unwanted doses but allows them to receive desired doses over the next three years according to an agreed schedule. The dispute stems from contracts signed by the European Commission in May 2021 during the height of the pandemic. Experts suggest that European countries should have managed surplus doses better, perhaps by storing them or donating them. The article notes that both countries have faced domestic political disputes regarding the vaccine purchases, and that the ruling is immediately enforceable, requiring them to set aside funds while preparing for future vaccine deliveries.
