Belgian Court Orders Poland, Romania to Buy Vaccines

A court in Brussels on Wednesday ordered Poland and Romania to proceed with large COVID-19 vaccine purchases from Pfizer and BioNTech, requiring payments totaling 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion). The decision comes three years after Pfizer began legal action and centers on supply commitments made during the most intense period of the pandemic.

Under the ruling, Poland must take delivery of doses valued at 1.3 billion euros, while Romania is required to purchase 600 million euros worth. The court said the two countries must follow the terms of a contract that was agreed when governments across Europe were seeking to secure vaccine access at scale.

Officials said the dispute stems from an agreement signed between the European Commission and Pfizer for vaccine deliveries. Pfizer brought the case against Poland and Romania in late 2023 in a Belgian court, seeking enforcement of that contract after the two governments resisted taking further deliveries.

Poland had declined to comply in April 2022, arguing that circumstances had changed as the pandemic evolved. Poland also pointed to the war in Ukraine and alleged an abuse of dominant position by Pfizer as part of its rationale for not accepting the contracted doses. Romania later adopted a similar position, according to the case record described in the ruling.

The Brussels court rejected those arguments and ordered both countries to accept the vaccine deliveries and pay Pfizer. The ruling reinforces the court’s view that the contractual obligations remained binding despite the governments’ stated concerns and shifting public-health conditions.

Poland’s Health Ministry said it intends to use all available legal remedies to challenge the decision. Pfizer said it expects payment from both countries and stressed that adherence to contractual commitments was important to the European pandemic response.

The case highlights how pandemic-era procurement decisions continue to shape government finances and supplier relationships years later. It also underscores the role of cross-border contracting through European institutions, where disputes can move into national courts even when agreements were negotiated at the EU level.

Key uncertainties now include how quickly the ruling will be implemented and what effect any legal challenges may have on timing and execution. The next steps will depend on the legal avenues pursued by Poland and any subsequent actions involving Romania and the companies.