Investigative journalist for Follow the Money
[ Investigates the European Union, with a focus on lobbying, subsidies, the many rules and (lack of) oversight. ]
Onderzoeksjournalist voor Follow the Money.
[ Wil de complexe wereld van de Europese integratie begrijpelijker maken. Legt je daarom ook met plezier uit dat Europese Raad, Raad van de EU en Raad van Europa verschillende dingen zijn. Na jaren verslaggeving in Brussel, onderzoekt Peter nu de EU in de praktijk. Wobt graag. ]
| Auteur van | Het lijkt Washington wel. Hoe lobbyisten Brussel in hun greep hebben (2020) |
| Auteur van | Dieselgate: Hoe de industrie sjoemelde en Europa faalde (2017) |
This is the most poetic and philosophical statement I have ever read in a European Parliament draft motion for a resolution:
"registering a document is a consequence of the existence of a document and not a prerequisite for its existence"
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0011_EN.html
Het Europees Openbaar Ministerie (EOM) schat dat er voor ruim 5 miljard euro is gefraudeerd met het coronaherstelfonds. Het EOM heeft inmiddels ruim vijfhonderd onderzoeken lopen naar vermeende fraude met het fonds.
Het Europees Openbaar Ministerie (EOM) schat dat er voor ruim 5 miljard euro is gefraudeerd met het coronaherstelfonds. Het EOM heeft inmiddels ruim vijfhonderd onderzoeken lopen naar vermeende fraude met het fonds.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is handling more than 500 fraud investigations related to the EU’s pandemic recovery fund, with estimated damages totaling €5 billion. Such probes represent an ever-larger share of its caseload. Most cases involve suspected fraud in Italy, which the EPPO attributed to the nation’s active financial police.
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/five-billion-euro-fraud-pandemic-recovery-fund-eu-prosecutors-suspect
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is handling more than 500 fraud investigations related to the EU’s pandemic recovery fund, with estimated damages totaling €5 billion. Such probes represent an ever-larger share of its caseload. Most cases involve suspected fraud in Italy, which the EPPO attributed to the nation’s active financial police.
In 2021 ontvingen autofabrikanten BMW, DaimlerChrysler en Volkswagen een boete: ze hadden sinds 2009 verboden afspraken gemaakt om de milieuprestaties van hun dieselauto’s te beperken. Uit interne e-mails blijkt nu dat ze drie jaar eerder al intensief contact hadden.
Millions of Europeans trust financial advisers when investing money – not knowing that many of the latter get kickbacks for the advice they give. Brussels has long been aware of this problem, which can prove costly to consumers. Now, the EU has shelved attempts for radical reform after industry lobbying – and even a modest reform was scuppered.
Millions of Europeans trust financial advisers when investing money – not knowing that many of the latter get kickbacks for the advice they give. Brussels has long been aware of this problem, which can prove costly to consumers. Now, the EU has shelved attempts for radical reform after industry lobbying – and even a modest reform was scuppered.
In December, the Commission, the Parliament and the Council of the EU (representing national governments) proudly announced in press releases that they had agreed on new rules for financial products for consumers.
Shortly afterwards, Follow the Money’s request to access the text of the provisional agreement was rejected, because “there is no agreed text, as technical work continues”.
Huh?
At the margins of the World Economic Forum, this week in Davos, there will be lots of side events.
The Davos gathering facilitates behind-closed-door networking events that allow lobbyists to gain access to the powerful in a way ordinary citizens cannot.
This is how a former Uber lobbyist arranged for the CEO of the World Bank to show up as guest of honour allowing his network to lobby her.
International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva has repeatedly enlisted the help of a lobbyist in attempts to land high-level positions. These include a failed push to make her president of the European Commission, and the campaign which led to her current job. In an apparent return of favours, Georgieva showed up at networking events organised by the lobbyist during the World Economic Forum, allowing him to determine who could dine with her in Davos on those occasions – and with that possibly exert influence over her actions as a powerful executive.
Backed by millions in EU funding, clean tech company InnoEnergy claims it has trained more than 100,000 people to work in Europe’s battery industry. But some of its courses can be completed in minutes by simply clicking through the material – even with a score of zero on the tests. An investigation by Follow the Money uncovered discrepancies in the firm’s data, raising questions about the effectiveness of the initiative, as well as oversight from Brussels.
Backed by millions in EU funding, clean tech company InnoEnergy claims it has trained more than 100,000 people to work in Europe’s battery industry. But some of its courses can be completed in minutes by simply clicking through the material – even with a score of zero on the tests. An investigation by Follow the Money uncovered discrepancies in the firm’s data, raising questions about the effectiveness of the initiative, as well as oversight from Brussels.
NEWS - Trump announced the Genesis Mission, which should result in a supercomputer-quantum-AI platform “for the benefit of our Nation”, specifically as a “national effort”.
But I found that three of the companies involved, are European.
Nederland heeft geen bezwaar tegen de betrokkenheid van Europese bedrijven bij Trumps AI-project.
Het is niet haalbaar voor Nederland ‘om een volledige, autonome AI-waardeketen op te bouwen’, zegt het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken.
De voorkeur gaat naar samenwerkingen met partijen binnen de EU, maar samenwerking met "bondgenoot" VS is "belangrijk".
De Amerikaanse president Donald Trump wil met een nieuw platform domineren op het gebied van AI. Trump beschouwt de Genesis Mission als een ‘nationale inspanning’, maar leunt voor het project op enkele Europese bedrijven, zoals Siemens en Nokia.
