Von der Leyen’s ‘Pfizergate’ scandal deepens as EU court delivers ruling. The Commission unlawfully withheld crucial texts between the EU president and Pfizer’s CEO at the height of Covid-19 negotiations. The European Court’s decision is a major victory for transparency. Reinforcing the principle that text messages related to policymaking should be treated as official documents. Von der Leyen’s refusal to release the texts sparked controversy, as she personally oversaw the EU’s largest vaccine contract worth billions of euros.
The court found that the Commission failed to provide a plausible explanation for why the texts weren’t considered important enough to be retained and disclosed.
The case was initiated by The New York Times, which sued the Commission after its request for the texts was denied in 2022. The existence of the texts was first revealed in a 2021 interview, where Pfizer’s CEO described them as fostering “deep trust” and facilitating the vaccine deal.
The EU committed to purchasing up to 1.8 billion doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine, making it the largest deal signed by Brussels during the pandemic.
The ruling is a major embarrassment for von der Leyen. She recently pledged to uphold transparency and accountability in her second term. The European Ombudsman previously criticized the Commission, calling its handling of the texts a “wake-up call” for EU institutions.
Von der Leyen’s leadership style has faced scrutiny, with critics accusing her of centralizing power and withholding key information.
This case highlights the growing demand for accountability in EU institutions, especially in decisions affecting public health.