EU Court Rules in Favor of Transparency: Pfizer Text Message Case

A recent court decision has spotlighted the European Commission's handling of transparency in vaccine negotiations. The General Court ruled that the Commission failed to justify its refusal to share text messages between its president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The exchanges concerned multi-billion-euro COVID-19 vaccine contracts.

This ruling follows criticism from some EU lawmakers and transparency advocates over the Commission's lack of openness, which could potentially erode trust in European institutions. The New York Times initially requested these communications to understand the vaccine deals better but were denied access as the Commission claimed these messages were not retained and fell outside EU document transparency rules.

The New York Times welcomed the court's decision, stating it marks a win for transparency in the EU. Meanwhile, the Commission plans to study the verdict closely before determining its next actions. This case underscores the ongoing debate about accountability in EU governance amidst the backdrop of the pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies.)