A legal case has been started by the European Commission against AstraZeneca over its “complete failure” to meet delivery and contractual agreements, Ireland’s health minister has said.

Speaking to the Irish parliament, Stephen Donnelly said on Thursday: “With regard to AstraZeneca, a legal case has been initiated by the Commission and earlier this week I have joined Ireland as one of the parties to that legal case, specifically around AstraZeneca‘s complete failure to meet its delivery and contractual agreements for April, May and June.”

Under its contract, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is committed to supplying 180 million doses – enough for 90 million people – to the EU in the second quarter of this year.

Live COVID updates from across the UK and around the world

But EU officials have repeatedly accused the drugmaker of under-delivering.

Its chief executive Pascal Soriot told the EU Parliament in February that he believed they were on track to meet commitments for the second quarter.

Tensions continue to run high as the European vaccine rollout trails behind the UK’s.

The legal action comes amid ongoing concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine could be linked to blood clots.

Several countries in the bloc halted their rollout of the jab, but the European regulator has now ruled that “unusual” blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect.

AstraZeneca is already facing legal action from the family of an Italian woman who died after having her jab.

Augusta Turiaco, 55, had no underlying health conditions and died 19 days after her vaccination on 11 March.

Her family says the case is being launched to establish whether the jab caused blood clots to form in her body and her brain.

Both the EU and UK regulators have concluded that the benefits still outweigh the risks of getting the Oxford vaccine.

Related posts:

Schoolgirl admits lying about teacher beheaded in France terror attack Eriksen ‘sends greetings to teammates’ from hospital following collapse during Euro 2020 match ‘It means a lot’: Christian Eriksen thanks well-wishers as he recovers from cardiac arrest Global COVID cases fall for seventh week – longest decline since start of pandemic Pope Francis leaves hospital 10 days after undergoing colon surgery Brazil’s president in hospital after 10 days of hiccups and may need emergency surgery Cambridge University college returning looted bronze cockerel to Nigeria New coronavirus variant with ‘constellation’ of 32 mutations identified in Botswana Kremlin says UK economic sanctions are attack on Russian businesses At least 10 dead after vehicle runs over explosive device in Kenya ‘Help is needed’: Low hopes on Russia-Ukraine border for diplomatic breakthrough Irish ambassador to give €2,000 to COVID charity over lockdown-busting champagne event