The case stems from an access to documents request filed in 2022 by New York Times journalist Matina Stevis-Gridneff, who asked to see communications — including text messages — between von der Leyen and Bourla, after their existence was revealed in an interview.

In a move to boost Europe's security and strategic autonomy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday convened the first-ever Strategic Dialogue with representatives of the European defence industry.

The Commission is found to have wrongly refused to publish texts from its president during the Covid pandemic.