EU Court Advisor Backs Full Disclosure of Covid Vaccine Contracts

The legal opinion issued Thursday signals that the commission must move beyond the heavily redacted documents released during the height of the pandemic. In 2021, five Green MEPs initiated the challenge, demanding transparency regarding the €71bn procurement of 4.6 billion doses from pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. While the commission previously cited commercial confidentiality and privacy concerns for officials to justify secrecy, Rantos found these arguments insufficient to override the public's right to information.

Central to the case is the lack of transparency surrounding the role of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, who bypassed standard procurement protocols for a €35bn deal. Rantos noted that withholding indemnification clauses and conflict-of-interest declarations prevents any effective oversight of the negotiation team. Although advocate general opinions are not technically binding, the Court of Justice typically aligns with these findings, leaving the commission with little room to maintain its current stance on the redacted agreements.