39 civil society organisations including EPHA are calling on the European Commission and EU national governments to ensure a maximum degree of transparency in the EU’s exchanges, negotiations and deals with pharmaceutical companies over COVID19 vaccines, proposing a new framework of transparency for future joint procurement negotiations. To this end:
- We take note of the EC’s commitment for the establishment of a reading room. The Commission needs to present a detailed timeline and an explanation of what information will be kept from MEPs
- We call for the establishment of a reading room while negotiations are ongoing as this is when reading rooms are more relevant and useful
- Nevertheless, this is not enough. National Parliaments and the public should have access to these deals once concluded
- We ask for the timely disclosure of non-commercial aspects of these contracts such as the liability-indemnity provisions as these have public health and patient safety implications
- If there is a new round of joint procurement negotiations, transparency should be the starting point. The EU should make it clear in advance to the pharma companies involved that the eventual contracts will be published.