European Commission didn’t provide enough information about COVID-19 vaccine deals, EU court says WFTV [Video]

BRUSSELS — (AP) — The European Commission did not allow the public enough access to information about COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements it secured with pharmaceutical companies during the pandemic, the EU general court said Wednesday.

The decision came a day ahead of a vote at the European Parliament at which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is seeking reelection.

A group of EU lawmakers had taken legal action after the commission refused to grant them complete access to COVID-19 vaccine contracts secured between the EU’s executive arm and manufacturers.

The commission, which can appeal the ruling, said that it generally grants “the widest possible public access” to documents. But in the case of vaccines, it insisted it “needed to strike a difficult balance between the right of the public, including MEPs, to information, and the legal requirements emanating from the COVID-19 contracts themselves, which could result in claims for damages at the cost of taxpayers’ …