In April, 2021, the world learned that European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen had been negotiating the largest contract ever sealed for 1.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines through text messages forwards and backwards with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.
And whereas these texts had been ‘someway’ misplaced, Pfizer is now suing Poland – which, beneath the EU deal struck between von der Leyen and Bourla, obligated the Polish authorities to buy 60 million extra doses than it did.
“Pfizer and BioNTech are in search of to carry Poland to its commitments for COVID-19 vaccine orders positioned by the Polish Authorities, as a part of their contract to provide the European Union signed in Might 2021,” a Pfizer spokesperson advised Politico, including that BioNTech is becoming a member of the lawsuit.
In keeping with Polish newspaper Gazeta Prawa, Pfizer introduced the civil case earlier than a Brussels court docket as a result of the doses had been bought via EU joint procurement contracts, drawn up beneath Belgian legislation. –Politico
Poland, beneath the management of then Well being Minister Adam Niedzielski and the populist PiS celebration, took a daring step in April 2022 by stopping vaccine deliveries, citing pressure majeure. This resolution, influenced by each monetary and epidemiological components, echoed throughout Japanese and Central Europe, resulting in a wave of dissent towards the Fee’s take care of Pfizer.
Efforts to renegotiate the deal, prompted by the collective outcry of a number of EU international locations, solely partially assuaged the discontent. The calls for for transparency and a extra equitable settlement intensified, main the Fee to revise the deal. Nevertheless, Poland’s refusal to signal the revised settlement highlighted the rising fissures between EU member states and the Fee’s negotiation ways.
Quick ahead to the aftermath of Poland’s October election, which noticed the opposition achieve sufficient seats to probably set up Donald Tusk, a centrist determine, in energy. Pfizer’s lawsuit, probably amounting to €1.2 billion, presents a formidable problem for Tusk’s administration. This transfer by Pfizer isn’t just about recouping losses however sending a stark message to different nations contemplating contract breaches.
The Fee was capable of extract commitments from Pfizer to reschedule some deliveries, however this did not go far sufficient to appease the capitals.
As vaccination charges flatlined, international locations outdoors the Central and Japanese European group began becoming a member of the decision for a renegotiation. At one level capitals even started asking for better transparency on the unique negotiations between Pfizer and the Fee. “What was promised? We would like to know,” mentioned Belgian ambassador Pierre Cartuyvels in December 2022.
In Might this yr, the Fee quietly introduced a substantial renegotiation of the offending deal. It was decreasing — by an unspecified quantity — the variety of doses excellent, whereas the deliveries would even be extra unfold out, into 2026. Poland, nonetheless, refused to enroll to the revised deal. -Politico
In keeping with Polish Well being Minister Katarzyna Sójka in feedback to Rynek Zdrowia, it is a tough case, however there’s an opportunity it could actually finish “in a constructive manner.”
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