Finance
Belgian Court Orders Poland, Romania to Buy $2.2 Billion of Pfizer Covid Shots
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 1, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 1, 2026
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A Belgian court has ruled that Poland and Romania must honour their EU-negotiated COVID‑19 vaccine contracts with Pfizer/BioNTech, ordering Poland to accept €1.3 bn and Romania €600 m worth of doses. Poland plans to appeal, while Pfizer emphasizes the binding nature of EU procurement agreements.
Belgian Court Orders Poland, Romania to Buy $2.2 Billion in Pfizer Vaccines
Belgian Court Ruling on COVID-19 Vaccine Contracts
Background of the Legal Dispute
BRUSSELS, April 1 (Reuters) - A Belgian court on Wednesday ordered Poland and Romania to take delivery of 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) worth of COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and BioNTech in a case brought by the U.S. drugmaker three years ago.
Pfizer sued Poland and Romania in late 2023 in a Belgian court to force the two countries to comply with a contract signed between the European Commission and Pfizer for the delivery of a set number of vaccine doses over several years, the court said.
Reasons for Non-Compliance
Poland refused in April 2022 to comply with the contract, citing the evolution of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a possible abuse of dominant position by Pfizer. Romania later took the same step.
Court's Decision and Financial Implications
The Brussels court rejected those arguments and ordered Poland and Romania to take delivery of the vaccine doses and pay Pfizer.
Poland was ordered to take delivery of Pfizer vaccine doses worth 1.3 billion euros, while Romania was ordered to take 600 million euros' worth.
Responses from the Involved Parties
Poland's Reaction
"Poland intends to pursue all legal remedies available to it to amend this ruling and defend its interests," its Health Ministry said in a statement. The ruling requires a detailed analysis regarding its implementation, and the financial and practical aspects, it added.
Pfizer's Statement
Pfizer said it expected both countries to pay.
"This decision reflects the importance of the contractual obligations that underpinned a successful European pandemic response, which was built on the principle of solidarity between Member States," it said in a statement.
Romania's Position
The Romanian government said it did not have an official announcement on the ruling and so could not comment.
Context of the European Vaccine Procurement
During the most acute phase of the pandemic, the European Commission and EU governments agreed to buy huge volumes of vaccines, mostly from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, amid fears of insufficient supplies.
Subsequent Developments in Vaccine Orders
As the pandemic abated, some EU countries pushed for a reduction IN the number of vaccines being ordered to cut the expense.
Pfizer and Moderna, another top supplier of COVID vaccines to the EU, have agreed to postpone some deliveries, though that was not considered enough by Poland and Romania.
Political Repercussions
Prime Minister Donald Tusk blamed his predecessor Mateusz Morawiecki for the setback.
($1 = 0.8614 euros)
(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Bhanvi Satija; Additional reporting by Alan Charlish and Luiza Ilie. Editing by Mark Potter and Toby Chopra)
Key Takeaways
- •A Belgian court enforced delivery and payment obligations under EU joint vaccine contracts signed in 2021, despite Poland and Romania’s pandemic-related refusals.
- •Poland was ordered to receive €1.3 bn worth of doses, Romania €600 m; both countries had previously paused deliveries citing evolving pandemic conditions and other pressures.
- •The ruling reaffirms the legal weight of Advance Purchase Agreements that underpinned EU-wide solidarity in the COVID‑19 response.
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Belgian court orders Poland, Romania to buy $2.2 billion of Pfizer COVID shots
1Why did the Belgian court order Poland and Romania to buy Pfizer COVID vaccines?
The court ruled that Poland and Romania must uphold contractual obligations signed with Pfizer and the EU for the delivery of vaccines.
2How much are Poland and Romania required to pay for the Pfizer vaccines?
Poland must take delivery of vaccines worth 1.3 billion euros and Romania 600 million euros, totaling $2.2 billion.
3What reasons did Poland and Romania give for refusing the vaccine deliveries?
Poland cited the evolution of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and potential abuse of dominance by Pfizer. Romania followed suit.
4What does the Belgian court's ruling mean for future EU vaccine contracts?
The ruling reinforces the importance of complying with contractual agreements between EU member states and vaccine suppliers.
5How did Pfizer respond to the Belgian court's decision?
Pfizer stated the decision highlights the importance of contractual obligations in ensuring a unified EU pandemic response.
