An adviser to the European Union’s top court said on Thursday that the European Commission’s appeal against a 2024 ruling, which required disclosure of information on COVID-19 vaccine contracts, should be dismissed.
During the pandemic, the Commission negotiated multi-billion-euro agreements with companies including Pfizer and BioNTech on behalf of the 27-member bloc. While some contract details and the names of negotiation team members were redacted, the General Court ruled that this violated transparency requirements.
Advocate General Athanasios Rantos stated that the General Court was correct in recognising that the negotiation of COVID-19 vaccine contracts serves a “specific purpose in the public interest” under EU law.
Rantos added that the Commission’s approach in both cases “does not allow accountability.” His opinion is advisory and not legally binding, but it is influential in shaping the court’s final decision.
The Commission said it noted Rantos’ opinion and will await the court’s outcome.
The recommendation represents a setback for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who led the EU executive during the pandemic. Critics have long argued that her leadership lacked transparency.
In a related case, the General Court ruled in 2025 that the Commission must release text messages between von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO during vaccine negotiations. The Commission failed to provide credible reasons for withholding the texts, which von der Leyen said she no longer possesses, and it did not appeal that ruling.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” i...
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has left for France for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Paris, including a summit with Frenc...
Adidas is facing calls for a boycott after featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton in a campaign for its Single Shoe Service, as critics ques...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has left for France for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Paris, including a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Adidas is facing calls for a boycott after featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton in a campaign for its Single Shoe Service, as critics question the choice against the backdrop of the Gaza war and thousands of life-changing injuries.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told reporters on Saturday that there is no plan underway to force Palestinians out of Gaza, following Israel's government proposal on relocation plans for people in Gaza.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment