The verdict arrives just as von der Leyen faces a potential battle for re-election as European Commission president, requiring the votes 361 out of the 720 members of the European Parliament. According to the European Court of Auditors, the Commission signed contracts worth €71 billion for up to 4.6 billion vaccine doses.
Von der Leyen’s husband Heiko is a director at Orgenesis, a biotech company owned by vaccine-maker Pfizer.
The Commission president’s decision to centralize control of COVID-19 vaccine procurement for all 27 EU member states drew criticism, even from former Belgian prime minister and senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt.
The Commission’s refusal to fully disclose contract details, claiming commercial interests and privacy concerns, led to legal action by Green MEPs. Ironically, von der Leyen has sought support from the Greens.
"It is important that the court has confirmed the importance of proper justifications for protecting commercial interests," said Green MEP Tilly Metz, stressing the ruling's significance for future joint procurements in health and defense.