MEP Gerald Hauser (PfE) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission, challenging the liability terms of the EU's 2020 contract with Moderna for its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and seeking clarity on whether the Commission had prior knowledge of the pandemic. The question, dated 23 June 2026, targets the contract signed on 4 December 2020 between Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel and then-Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, which Hauser argues exempted Moderna from liability for vaccine damage, including death or injury, while shifting all risk to Member States.
why the Commission accepted the risk that the vaccine could be ineffective or have 'unacceptable side effects'; why Moderna was released from liability; and whether the Commission knew in 2019 that a pandemic would occur in 2020 requiring billions of doses. The MEP cites Bancel's 2023 statement that Moderna knew about the pandemic in 2019 and was preparing production, as well as the contract's explicit acknowledgment that Moderna could not warrant results or be free from side effects due to accelerated timelines.
Hauser's question seeks to expose what he implies was a reckless acceptance of risk by the Commission and potential prior knowledge of the pandemic, aiming to increase transparency and accountability in EU vaccine procurement. The question does not propose specific legislative changes but pressures the Commission to justify its decisions.
The Commission typically must reply within six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it defends the contract's liability terms as necessary for rapid vaccine access or acknowledges shortcomings, potentially influencing future pandemic preparedness contracts. The question impacts EU taxpayers, who bore liability risks; vaccine manufacturers, who may face stricter terms; and national health authorities, which assumed legal and financial burdens.