European Union

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On Tuesday, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On Tuesday, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

I support the European Union, believing it has been a force for good. However, it is far from perfect, and transparency issues continue to cast doubt on its leadership.

I want the UK to rejoin the EU because I believe that to be in Britain’s – and Europe’s – best interests.

But that doesn’t mean to say I am starry-eyed about the EU, or more pertinently, the different people who are elected from time to time to run it (yes, contrary to popular mythology, they are elected).

The latest controversy involving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raises serious questions about accountability.

Investigative journalist Alexander Fanta reported in The Guardian that von der Leyen has gone to court to prevent the release of personal messages exchanged with Pfizer’s CEO, Albert Bourla, during critical Covid vaccine negotiations in 2021.

These messages could shed light on how the EU secured a €21.5bn (£17.9bn) deal for up to 1.8 billion Pfizer doses – raising concerns over pricing, procurement strategy, and whether millions of doses were wasted.

At the time, the EU was under immense pressure to secure vaccines, lagging behind the UK and Israel.

Amid production issues with Pfizer and AstraZeneca, it’s claimed that von der Leyen took personal charge of negotiations, reportedly leveraging direct text exchanges with Bourla, but this is strongly denied by the European Commission.

However, when Fanta filed an access request under the EU’s freedom of information law, the Commission refused, arguing that texts are “short-lived” and not subject to disclosure rules.

The secrecy surrounding these exchanges has led to a legal battle.

The New York Times and journalist Matina Stevis-Gridneff have also filed lawsuits in the European Court of Justice seeking access.

The EU’s legal team claims the texts are not “substantive” while simultaneously admitting they have never reviewed them – relying instead on von der Leyen’s staff assurances.

One exasperated judge even called the Commission’s testimony “bizarre.”

This lack of transparency extends beyond vaccine procurement.

The EU’s unprecedented €723bn (£600bn) Covid recovery fund, meant to boost digital and climate investments, remains largely unaccounted for.

When Fanta’s colleagues at ‘Follow the Money’ requested details, only the top 100 recipients per country were disclosed, leaving billions in spending unexplained.

Allegations of fraud linked to these funds have since emerged, with Greek authorities investigating €2.5bn in suspected misuse and Italian police probing a €600m fraud case.

Fanta argues that secrecy is embedded in the EU’s administrative culture. It is claimed that under von der Leyen, this has worsened, with key documents withheld for political reasons.

Outgoing European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has accused “powerful consiglieri” in von der Leyen’s cabinet of blocking crucial disclosures.

Despite her public stance against authoritarianism, von der Leyen’s resistance to scrutiny undermines democratic accountability.

Fanta warns that limiting transparency only strengthens the arguments of leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who use secrecy to justify their own undemocratic practices.

The ongoing court case may set new limits on von der Leyen’s secrecy, but real change requires sustained pressure from media, civil society, and the European Parliament.

Public trust depends on transparency – leaders must be held accountable, even when it makes governing, or texting, more complicated.

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I have now received a response from Stefan de Keersmaecker, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission:

Many thanks for your message. This is what we can share with you:

The President had exchanges with the CEO of Pfizer, as she generally had with CEOs of other companies with a view to attracting companies’ interest to engage with the EU for the delivery of vaccines in accordance with the objectives and procedures of the EU’s COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.

The President was not involved in negotiations of contracts.

There was a clear and transparent process in place for such negotiations. The EU Vaccine Strategy was a joint strategy: all contracts with vaccine developers had been negotiated jointly by the Commission and the Member States, taking into account vaccine needs of all EU countries.

Practically speaking, the negotiations were done by a negotiation team consisting of representatives of the Commission and of several Member States.

This team reported on a regular basis to a Steering Board, consisting of representatives of the Commission and all Member States. The role of this board was to set the mandate for the negotiators, identify the needs and steer the negotiations.

Before each vaccine contract was concluded, it was submitted to the steering board.  Member States were given the opportunity to opt out from the contract.

So all Member States are fully aware of all contractual terms and conditions, including on deliveries, that they negotiated with the companies.

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The post What is EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, hiding? appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Plenary adopted recommendations to the European Central Bank on Tuesday, following a debate on its priorities and activities with President Christine Lagarde on Monday.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Plenary adopted recommendations to the European Central Bank on Tuesday, following a debate on its priorities and activities with President Christine Lagarde on Monday.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

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56 EU vessels will be able to fish tuna and related species during the next five years in Cabo Verde’s waters, under an updated fisheries deal.
Committee on Fisheries

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56 EU vessels will be able to fish tuna and related species during the next five years in Cabo Verde’s waters, under an updated fisheries deal.
Committee on Fisheries

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Today, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a press conference in Strasbourg, after President Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC.
Subcommittee on Human Rights

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Today, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a press conference in Strasbourg, after President Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC.
Subcommittee on Human Rights

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Statement of the Conference of Presidents on continuing the unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Statement of the Conference of Presidents on continuing the unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

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President Metsola opened the 10-13 February session with a minute’s silence for the victims of last week’s shooting in Örebro - the worst in Sweden’s history.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

President Metsola opened the 10-13 February session with a minute’s silence for the victims of last week’s shooting in Örebro - the worst in Sweden’s history.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Monday 10 February

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Monday 10 February

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European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 10 - 13 February plenary session today at 16.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 10 - 13 February plenary session today at 16.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP