The European Union’s (EU) second highest court has criticised the European Commission’s lack of transparency over Covid-19 vaccine contracts ahead of a vote to choose Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as the institution’s president.
According to the agency ReutersSeveral European Parliament lawmakers have requested access to contracts signed with vaccine suppliers in 2020, but the European Commission has provided only some of the documents and redacted others, citing the need to protect commercial interests and the decision-making process itself.
On Wednesday, judges at the General Court in Luxembourg said that “the Commission has not given the public sufficient access to the agreements on the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines” and “has failed to demonstrate that greater access to these provisions would actually harm the commercial interests of these companies,” also rejecting the EU leader’s privacy arguments.
In a statement, the European Commission said it was reserving its legal options. Its only recourse would be to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the highest court at European level.
The vote for the post of European Commission president is scheduled for this Thursday. The institution’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, needs at least 361 votes in favor of MEPs to extend her mandate.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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