Cristian Terheş· ECR

Nuanced

During her mandate in 2024, European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly revealed the abuse regarding Ursula von der Leyen's refusal to provide SMS messages exchanged with Albert Bourla (CEO of Pfizer) and her refusal to publish COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts.

Omissions

• The main Ombudsman decision on the SMS case was issued on 14 July 2022, not 2024. Emily O'Reilly's term as Ombudsman ended in 2024, but the key findings were published in 2022.
• The Ombudsman used the term 'maladministration' rather than 'abuse'.
• The claim does not specify that the Ombudsman also criticized the Commission's failure to even search for the text messages, not just the refusal to publish them.
• Sources found are journalistic/secondary rather than the primary Ombudsman decision document.

Sources

• SecondaryLe Monde - Von der Leyen's missing texts constitute maladministrationOn 14 July 2022, EU Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly found that the European Commission's handling of text messages between Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla constituted maladministration
• SecondaryThe Guardian - European Commission defiant over Von der Leyen's Pfizer textsIn January 2022, Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly accused the EU executive of maladministration regarding text messages between von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO
• SecondaryEuractiv - Commission's lack of will to find texts with Pfizer bossEU Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly upheld her finding of maladministration in the case of von der Leyen's text messages with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla regarding vaccine procurement
• SecondaryPolitico - Ombudsman takes aim at Ursula von der Leyen's texts with Pfizer CEOEuropean Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly opened an inquiry into text message exchanges between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer
• SecondaryAccess Info Europe - European Commission rejects recommendation by OmbudsmanThe Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly found maladministration in the Commission's handling of vaccine-related transparency, including text messages and contract disclosure