New York Times sues EU Commission chief over secret vaccine contract texts

A significant legal case will be heard next month concerning the release of private text messages exchanged between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

The New York Times filed a lawsuit against the European Commission in January 2023 after the Commission claimed it “did not hold” the requested texts under a freedom of information request, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The newspaper aims to publish these messages, which could illuminate the negotiations surrounding pandemic contracts worth billions. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will hear the case on November 15, with a 15-judge grand chamber reviewing the matter due to its complexity and significance.

According to reports, Bourla acknowledged the exchange of private messages with von der Leyen, who claimed to have been personally involved in negotiating the vaccine contracts.

The court is anticipated to determine the admissibility of evidence and question the Commission about the existence of the texts, including whether they were destroyed and the reasons behind it.

Despite von der Leyen’s successful push for collective vaccine purchases for EU member states, the controversy surrounding her private communications with Bourla has sparked criticism over the transparency of the negotiations.

In July, the EU's general court ruled that the Commission had unlawfully concealed some details of its vaccine procurement contracts.

When approached for comment regarding the upcoming hearing, the European Commission declined to respond, as did the ECJ and The New York Times.

By Aghakazim Guliyev