EU Vaccine Rollout — AstraZeneca Dispute Erupts

The EU's centralised COVID-19 vaccine procurement strategy came under intense criticism after AstraZeneca announced it would deliver far fewer doses than contracted in Q1 2021. The European Commission controversially invoked Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to control vaccine exports — a move quickly reversed after outcry. The rollout started slower than the UK and US but accelerated significantly by mid-2021, with over 70% of adults vaccinated by September 2021.