The EU will demand billions in compensation if AstraZeneca fails to meet its vaccine goal

The EU has demanded billions in damages from AstraZeneca if the company does not increase deliveries of the Covid-19 vaccine next month.

The EU wants the company to pay penalties of € 10 a day if it does not deliver the 20 million more shots the European bloc wants by the end of June, its lawyer told a Brussels court on Wednesday.

The European Commission’s request is part of a lawsuit launched in an effort to force AstraZeneca to deliver a 90m dose in the second quarter of the year rather than the 70m currently scheduled. The legal action is to escalate the fight between the EU and the company as a result of long delivery shortfalls.

AstraZeneca said its lawyers will explain their case on Wednesday. The company has consistently argued that it has made “the best reasonable efforts” required by the contract to meet the EU delivery schedule.