A top European Union court is being asked to examine whether the European Parliament (EP) breached its legal obligations by denying MEPs the chance to investigate the bloc’s handling of vaccine contracts.
The challenge is being brought by representatives of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) and Patriots for Europe (PfE) EP groupings, as well as from the centre-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which in April called on colleagues to support an inquiry into
allegations of corruption, money laundering, abuse of power, and undue interference in legislative processes.
ESN chief whip Christine Anderson (Alternative für Deutschland) declared
More than 180 Members demanded an inquiry into how the EU handled billions in vaccine contracts and related dealings.
ECR lawmaker Charlie Weimers added that
this is not a political issue for the court to consider, but rather a procedural, legal one where rules quite obviously were not followed … we are rather optimistic that this will go our way.
The EP now has until November 20 to respond to the request for an expedited ruling. If the standard procedure is followed, however, the case could take years before a final decision is reached.
