BELGIUM — The European Union (EU) and pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have announced an amendment to their COVID-19 vaccine contract.
This revision involves a reduction in the number of doses the EU is obligated to purchase and an extension of the delivery deadline until 2026.
This revision of the Pfizer-BioNTech contract with the EU comes one year after the companies initially agreed to delay vaccine shipments, a move later followed by Moderna.
The decrease in demand for shots last year resulted in stockpiles of expiring doses in some countries within the bloc.
Moreover, the EU has made significant contributions to global vaccination efforts, with 526 million vaccine doses donated, including 494 million that have already been delivered, according to the bloc’s official announcement regarding the new deal with Pfizer and BioNTech.
The decision to amend the contract comes after months of negotiations and amid mounting pressure from EU member states to secure changes due to the surplus of COVID-19 vaccine doses globally and diminishing demand for booster shots.
Some European governments have even been forced to dispose of excess doses.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides stated that the amended contract aligns with the “evolving needs” of the situation.
For more than two months, Kyriakides has been urging EU member states to accept the negotiated contract amendment proposed by the European Commission.
However, the Commission’s statement on Friday revealed that certain member states have chosen to opt out of the revised deal.
The statement did not disclose the names of these countries but confirmed that they will remain bound by the original contract.
According to a Commission source, Poland and Hungary are the countries that declined to participate in the amendment.
The initial contract, signed in May 2021, committed the EU to purchase 900 million doses from Pfizer/BioNTech, with an option for an additional 900 million, by the end of 2023.
Due to a decline in demand last year, approximately half or more of the first 900 million doses from the original contract have yet to be delivered. The EU has not exercised the option for the additional doses.
The specific reduction in the number of doses agreed upon in the contract amendment was not explicitly mentioned in the statements released by the European Commission and Pfizer/BioNTech.
However, an anonymous source familiar with the negotiations revealed to Reuters that the amendment reduces by approximately one-third the remaining doses that the EU is obligated to purchase.
Additionally, the source mentioned that EU member states will be required to pay a fee for each canceled dose, without disclosing the precise amount. Neither the companies nor the Commission provided any comment on the fee.
The amended contract ensures that the EU will retain access to vaccines adapted to new variants as soon as they receive authorization from regulatory bodies.
Simultaneously, Moderna, another leading producer of COVID-19 vaccines globally, is seeking to expand its sales in China.
It has established Moderna Biotech Ltd., a unit based in Shanghai, indicating its intention to penetrate the Chinese market. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel reportedly visited Shanghai last month, according to Reuters.
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