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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

Watchdog reprimands EU executive for failing to share Von der Leyen texts

Ursula von der Leyen (centre) speaks with the Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla during a visit to the pharmaceutical company in Belgium in April 2021
Ursula von der Leyen (centre) speaks with the Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla during a visit to the pharmaceutical company in Belgium in April 2021. Photograph: John Thys/AP

The EU’s official watchdog has issued a formal reprimand to the European Commission over its president Ursula von der Leyen’s failure to release text messages exchanged with the boss of Pfizer during the pandemic.

The EU ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, on Thursday upheld her verdict of maladministration by the commission, saying it had failed “to answer the basic question of whether the text messages in question exist” or be clear about how it would deal with similar requests in future.

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