The European Union’s Covid-19 Vaccine Contracts Disclosure Ruling

The General Court in Luxembourg issued a noteworthy rebuke to the European Commission on Wednesday, finding that it failed to provide adequate public transparency regarding its Covid-19 vaccine procurement deals amid the pandemic. This verdict adds momentum to critics of Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, who spearheaded the bloc’s pandemic response. The ruling precedes a crucial vote on Thursday determining von der Leyen’s potential reappointment as the EU’s top official.

Details of the Ruling

• The European Union has been withholding the full details of its vaccine contracts, releasing redacted versions of the agreements. Green members of the European Parliament and private individuals contested this opacity, leading to a lawsuit against the European Commission.
• The General Court determined that the Commission erred in redacting portions of the vaccine agreements shared online, stating that it failed to prove that broader access to the information would harm commercial interests. The court also highlighted the necessity of disclosing any conflicts of interest among the negotiation team involved in the vaccine procurement.
• In response to the ruling, the European Commission expressed its intent to thoroughly assess the court’s decision and its implications. The Commission acknowledged the challenge of balancing public and parliamentary access to information while complying with contractual obligations.

The Commission emphasized that protecting the business interests of contractual partners has been acknowledged by E.U. courts in the past. It also stated that it had provided the European Parliament with comprehensive information regarding the vaccine contracts.