US EditionPfizergate verdict delivers blow to European Commission
- On May 15, 2025, the EU General Court found that the European Commission unlawfully refused a request from The New York Times to access text message exchanges between the Commission President and the head of Pfizer related to COVID-19 vaccine negotiations.
- The ruling follows the Commission's refusal to provide the messages, claiming they were not preserved and that ephemeral texts were exempt from documentation, a justification the court found not credible.
- The decision highlights procedural failures in transparency, with calls from officials and watchdogs urging the Commission to uphold public access rights and fully explain the missing records.
- The court emphasized that the Commission must explain why it is unable to provide the text messages and highlighted that communications exchanged in the course of public procurement processes qualify as official EU records.
- The verdict raises significant concerns about EU institutional transparency, prompting demands for greater accountability, a possible parliamentary inquiry, and potential changes in document access regulations.
33 Articles
33 Articles
'Victory for transparency!' Ursula von der Leyen was 'wrong to conceal vaccine texts' to Pfizer boss
The European Court of Justice has ruled against the European Commission for concealing text messages between Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during Covid vaccine negotiations.The EU's executive body had refused to disclose private correspondence between the two leaders ahead of a multibillion-euro vaccine deal.Judges at the court's General Court backed a legal challenge against the decision to withhold the contents of these mes…
"Pfizergate": European justice reverses Ursula von der Leyen
The EU Court of Justice found that the Commission chief had not provided "credible explanation to justify" the fact that the SMS exchanged during the Covid-19 pandemic with the CEO of the Pfizer laboratory were "not found".
Pfizergate: Will we ever see the text messages between Ursula von der Leyen and the CEO of Pfizer?
BRUSSELS — EU judges have handed the European Commission a resounding defeat and a major victory for transparency advocates. In a highly anticipated ruling with far-reaching political and legal implications, the EU General Court has ruled against the Commission for its refusal to disclose text messages exchanged between its president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during Covid vaccine negotiations in 2021. Here’s what you ne…
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