EU Court of Justice set to hear significant case
Date
10/8/2024 8:38:07 AM
(MENAFN) The European Court of Justice is set to hear a significant case on November 15, centering on European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen's handling of Covid-19 vaccine procurement. According to a report by the Financial Times, the court will examine allegations that Von der Leyen illegally withheld private text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the pandemic.
As the Covid-19 crisis intensified, the European Commission advocated for a collective purchasing strategy, enabling European Union member states to access billions of vaccine doses. Between 2020 and 2021, the Commission secured contracts worth approximately EUR2.7 billion (USD2.95 billion) with various vaccine manufacturers. Von der Leyen's leadership was pivotal in orchestrating these procurement efforts, but critics have raised concerns regarding the transparency of the negotiations.
The upcoming hearing will be conducted by the Grand Chamber of the European Union court, a body known for tackling complex and high-stakes cases. The scrutiny comes in the wake of a January 2023 lawsuit filed by the New York Times against the European Commission. The newspaper sought access to Von der Leyen’s text messages as part of a freedom of information request, but the Commission initially claimed that these messages were unavailable.
Despite these claims, Bourla confirmed the existence of private exchanges with Von der Leyen, stating that she had been directly involved in the negotiations for vaccine contracts. This revelation has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the procurement process and raised questions about accountability and transparency at the highest levels of the European Union.
As the court prepares to deliberate, the case underscores the broader implications of governmental decision-making during the pandemic, particularly regarding public trust and the integrity of public health initiatives. The outcome could set a precedent for how similar issues are handled in the future, especially as nations navigate the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 crisis.
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