Swiss government yields to court order on Covid vaccine contract transparency

The Swiss federal government has decided not to contest a court ruling regarding Covid vaccine procurement contracts. This decision comes after requests made under the Public Access Act to reveal procurement details. Initially, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) had declined to disclose the full agreements.

The case revolved around contracts with six vaccine manufacturers. While redacted versions were released in 2022, activists pressed for more transparency.

The dispute began when citizens sought full access to the vaccine procurement contracts. The FOPH rejected these requests, arguing that commercial confidentiality and manufacturing secrets needed protection.

In response, complainants took their case to the Federal Administrative Court. The court ruled in their favor, ordering the FOPH to release the contracts with only minimal redactions—primarily to remove personal data. The decision did not require the disclosure of specific financial terms, pricing, delivery conditions, or liability clauses, but it mandated that the documents themselves be made public.

The federal government has now confirmed it will not appeal the ruling. However, vaccine manufacturers retain the right to challenge the decision separately. Their potential appeals could still delay or restrict the release of certain details on business and production grounds.

Back in 2022, the FOPH had already published heavily redacted versions of the contracts. But the court found these insufficient under transparency laws, prompting the latest legal battle.

The government's decision not to appeal means the contracts must now be disclosed in near-full form. Personal data will remain hidden, but other details—unless blocked by manufacturer appeals—will become public. The ruling sets a precedent for how future procurement disputes under the Public Access Act may be handled.