AGERPRES News

Finance Ministry enabled to contract law firm for Pfizer case

The Government, through a memorandum on Thursday, enabled the Finance Ministry to contract legal services to represent Romania before the French-speaking Court of First Instance in Brussels in the case in which the company Pfizer – BioNTech has sued Romania for payment of all anti-COVID vaccines part of the European Union supply contract signed in 2021.

According to a government press release, the Finance Ministry will urgently contract a law firm or a law company with relevant experience that meets all the legal requirements to defend Romania’s interests.

At the same time, the legal structure within the Ministry of Finance will take over the activity of representing the state in all international legal disputes, including the legal case in Belgium.

Earlier this year, Romania received the summons issued by the French-speaking Court of First Instance in Brussels on 22 December 2023, in the case registered under no. F5331-23, brought by Pfizer Inc., BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH, Pfizer Romania SRL, concerning the COVID-19 vaccine purchase contract with the European Commission.

This case seeks an order requiring Romania to enforce the purchase contract by paying the price for the remaining 28.94 million vaccines it purchased, amounting to approximately 564 million euros, and to pay Pfizer Romania the amount of 2.78 billion lei and the court costs of 22,500 euros.