DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 17 July 2024
Statement by the Commission on the General Court's judgments on the access to documents cases concerning the purchase agreements for COVID-19 vaccines*
The Commission takes note of the judgments of the General Court in the two cases concerning access to the COVID-19 vaccine contracts and related information.
The Commission will carefully study the Court's judgments and their implications.
In its judgments, the General Court follows the Commission on most claims. In particular, it recognises that the protection of commercial interest covers the clauses of the contracts concerning:
The General Court has confirmed that the Commission was entitled to provide only partial access.
It has only partially upheld the legal action on two points.
It has ruled that the Commission should have provided more explanations to justify refusing access to certain provisions in the contracts.
It has also ruled that the Commission should have provided the personal data related to the members of the negotiation teams, composed of Member State representatives and Commission officials.
In general, the Commission grants the widest possible public access to documents, in line with the principles of openness and transparency.
In these cases, the Commission 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' money.
In fact, in many cases in the past, the Court of Justice has recognised the need to protect the business interests of a contractual partner.
In any event, the Commission had provided to the European Parliament (under the Framework Agreement on relations between the two institutions) full information on the COVID-19 vaccine contracts.
In accordance with its institutional role, the Commission is responsible to ensure the absence of any conflict of interest, and also has the duty to protect the privacy and personal data of the individuals concerned.
At this stage, the Commission reserves its legal options.
EU to invest record €7 billion into sustainable, safe and smart transport infrastructure
The Commission has selected 134 transport projects to receive over €7 billion in EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU's instrument for strategic investment in infrastructure. This represents the largest call under the current CEF Transport programme.
Around 83% of the funding will support projects that deliver on the EU's climate objectives, improving and modernising the EU network of railways, inland waterways and maritime routes along the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network. Rail projects will receive 80% of the €7 billion. Furthermore, the revised TEN-T Regulation will take effect starting tomorrow, July 18.
Funding will go to major projects to improve cross-border rail connections along the TEN-T core network – in the Baltic Member States (Rail Baltica), between France and Italy (Lyon-Turin), and between Denmark and Germany (Fehmarnbelt tunnel).
Around 20 maritime ports in Ireland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Lithuania, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, and Poland will receive support for infrastructure upgrades, some of which will enable them to supply shore-side electricity to ships, or transport renewable energy.
Work on inland waterway infrastructure will improve cross-border connections between France and Belgium in the Seine-Scheldt basin, and between Romania and Bulgaria on the Danube. Inland ports in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands will also receive funding, so that they may continue to promote Europe's network of rivers and canals for sustainable transport.
For road transport, launching cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITS) and creating new, safe and secure parking areas will increase safety for individuals and professionals alike.
Air traffic management projects will continue to develop a Single European Sky so that air transport becomes more efficient, safer and more sustainable.
Finally, several projects will enable greater capacity along the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, set up to facilitate imports and exports between Ukraine and the EU. These projects cover: improvements to road transport infrastructure at border crossing points between Ukraine, Moldova and Romania; work to increase capacity on the Hungary-Ukraine rail border crossing; a new section of road in Poland extending it to the border with Ukraine; as well as studies and works to integrate the Ukrainian railway system into the EU.
Next steps
Following yesterday's approval of the list of 134 projects by the Member States, the Commission will officially adopt the financing decision and CINEA will then start preparing grant agreements.
The results are provisional and will only become definitive once the Commission adopts the corresponding award decision.
Background
The 134 projects have been selected from a total of 408 applications submitted under this call for proposals, which closed on 18 January 2024.
EU funding will take the form of grants, which will be used to co-finance total project costs.
Under the CEF Transport programme for 2021-2027, €25.8 billion are available for grants to co-fund TEN-T projects in the Member States. Since 2014, CEF has supported over 1,500 projects with €37.5 billion in the transport sector (excluding to projects selected today).
Starting tomorrow, July 18, an updated TEN-T Regulation will enhance efforts to create a sustainable and resilient transport network within the EU. It encourages sustainable transport modes, digitalization, and multimodality, while addressing climate challenges and military mobility.
For More Information
More information is available here
Quote(s)
This is the largest call under the current CEF Transport programme. The selected projects will help transform Europe’s transport network, making cleaner transport modes more efficient and attractive for passengers and freight while enhancing safety across the TEN-T. I am especially pleased that several projects supporting the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes have been funded. These new corridors are of key importance to help integrate Ukraine and Moldova into the EU.
Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner For Climate Action and responsible for transport
The European Commission is committed to personal data protection. Any personal data is processed in line with Regulation (EC) 2018/1725. All personal information processed by the Directorate-General for Communication / European Commission Representations is treated accordingly. If you do not work for a media organisation, you are welcome to contact the EU through Europe Direct in writing or by calling 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11.
Athanasios ATHANASIOU
Press Officer / Political Reporter
European Commission
Representation in Cyprus
EU House, 30 Vyronos Avenue, 1096 Nicosia
Tel: +357 22 81 75 76 Mob: +357 99 363753
Twitter: @aathans