The European Parliament does not mind concluding vaccine contracts worth tens of billions of euros via text message, let alone hiding such actions.
85% confidence
HealthEuropean Union
Omissions
The claim refers specifically to the Pfizer vaccine contract worth approximately €35 billion, not multiple contracts
The text message negotiations were between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, not the European Parliament as an institution
The court ruling confirming the Commission wrongfully refused to disclose the texts was issued on May 14, 2025, which the MEP could have known by March 2026
The Commission's refusal to release the texts was based on claims that they were not official EU documents, a position later rejected by the EU General Court
Sources
SecondaryReutersEU General Court annulled European Commission's decision to refuse access to text messages between Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla regarding COVID-19 vaccine procurement on May 14, 2025
SecondaryPOLITICO EuropeEuropean Commission was wrong to refuse release of Ursula von der Leyen's text messages with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations; refers to multibillion deal
SecondaryAccess Info EuropeEU General Court ruled Commission violated transparency law by refusing access to COVID-19 vaccine-related text messages; references Pfizergate scandal
SecondaryAccess Info EuropeResearchers revealed EU could have overpaid by as much as €31 billion euros on vaccine contracts; Commission rejected Ombudsman recommendation to release texts
SecondaryBBCEuropean Commission wrongly refused to publish text messages sent by Ursula von der Leyen to head of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations