Schedule for trial between Pfizer and Romania over COVID-19 vaccines announced

Romania’s Finance Ministry recently announced that a schedule for the trial between Pfizer and Romania, initiated on the topic of COVID-19 vaccines, has been established. The pharmaceutical company is requesting payment for almost 29 million vaccine doses.

Romania’s legal representatives were “notified to appear on February 20, 2024, at 09:00, in front of the first chamber of the Francophone Court of First Instance in Brussels, in the case registered under no. F5331-23, promoted by the plaintiffs PFIZER Inc., BIONTECH Manufacturing GmbH, Pfizer Romania SRL, against Romania, concerning the COVID-19 vaccine purchase contract concluded between the contractor and the European Commission," the ministry announced.

The first stage of the trial is that of submitting documents, which will be later followed by the hearing stage. As such, a deadline of about 4 months until the first submission of documents has been set, which will take place on June 20, 2024. The Ministry of Finance, cited by News.ro, noted that no clear deadline has been set for the hearings.

Pfizer is requesting Romania to execute the purchase contract by paying the price for the remaining almost 29 million doses, which it purchased for EUR 564 million. The company is also requesting payment amounting to RON 2.78 billion, subject to increase during the procedure, plus interest at the ECB refinancing rate plus 5 points.

According to the press release, the Ministry of Finance conducted an analysis of specialized lawyers who ensure the ministry's representation in front of Arbitration Tribunals in disputes conducted according to the ICSID procedural rules, as well as the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. Romania’s legal representative is the association CA Stănescu Vasile and Associates, Strelia CVBA.

Both Poland and Hungary are being sued by Pfizer, the latter requesting the payment of contracted vaccine doses.

Romania’s former prime minister, Florin Citu, recently pointed to Social Democrat health minister Alexandru Rafila as the one to blame for the excess vaccines ordered. Prosecutors also opened a probe into the acquisition of vaccines during the pandemic.

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