AstraZeneca vaccine site in Belgium raided 'at request of European Commission'
Officials also say they intend to publish the contract in latest salvo of deepening row over delays to jab deliveries in Europe
AstraZeneca’s vaccine production site in Belgium was raided yesterday at the request of the European Commission, as Brussels continued to heap pressure on the British company over delays in jab deliveries.
Belgian officials from the country’s medicines regulator inspected the factory on Wednesday afternoon after the pharmaceutical giant blamed production problems at the plant for a shortfall in vaccine supplies to the bloc.
Brussels suspects that AstraZeneca may have sold reserved EU vaccine stock to other non-EU countries, including
Britain, which paid more for the jabs.
The Commission has launched unprecedented public attacks against AstraZeneca over the past few days and the raid is seen as another example of the
EU heaping pressure on the company.
Brussels has demanded millions of AstraZeneca vaccines made in Britain be diverted to the EU but the company said British orders had to be fulfilled first before supplies could be switched.
It has also threatened an export ban on EU-produced vaccines, jeopardising the UK’s supply of the Pfizer jab.
The Belgian Health Minister said that the raid was carried out on behalf of the commission. It was aimed at proving whether or not AstraZeneca’s explanation for the failure in supply was genuine.
A European Commission spokesman confirmed the inspection. “We do not comment on the scope, on why it's been undertaken and what has been audited,” the spokesman said, before refusing to answer if Brussels had ordered the raid.
Officials from Belgium’s medicines regulator are expected to have drawn up a report on their findings in the next few days.
A spokesman said: "Belgian experts are now examining the elements that were collected, together with experts from the Netherlands, Italy and Spain."
The AstraZeneca CEO, Pascal Soriot, and the European Commission held a meeting last night. The commission said afterwards that it wanted a clear plan for the rapid delivery of the vaccines it had reserved for the first quarter of the year.
EU officials have said that AstraZeneca has only offered a quarter of the jabs promised, which they claim is in breach of contract.
AstraZeneca denies this, which has led to calls on the company to agree to the confidential contract to be made public.
Brussels insists the EU contract does not allow the company to prioritise supplies from its two British factories for the UK.
Kim Van Sparrentak, who is on the EU's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, told the Today programme on Thursday: “The problem is that there is a contract with AstraZeneca. They have promised us a certain amount of doses and they are not able to deliver.
"Based on these promises, we have rolled out vaccination programmes in 27 countries and the most vulnerable people were able to finally breathe again, to have the feeling 'OK we will get the vaccine soon' and now the planning is completely being jeopardised so we need clarity and that's why I think transparency is most important
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