Follow the Money EU

Our journalism is only possible thanks to the trust of our paying members. Not a member yet? Sign up now Dear reader, This week, our investigation into the privacy risks posed by the popular travel app Polarsteps made waves. We also looked at Big Tobacco’s influence on Brussels’ vaping agenda, how industry lobbying is shaping the European Commission’s priorities, and one of Europe’s biggest VAT fraud cases.

What’s the news? Travel app Polarsteps has some 23 million users worldwide. Users can log their journeys with the help of the app – but because of weak privacy protections inside the app, FTM managed to download and trace the exact locations of many of them. This means that FTM could view where people spent their holidays, where they went on work trips, and sometimes where they dropped their children off at kindergarten.

What’s the news? New nicotine products such as vapes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco are a key revenue stream for the tobacco industry. The industry is investing millions in scientific research intended to demonstrate that these products are less harmful than cigarettes. This message is resonating in Brussels. But this “harm reduction” narrative has blind spots.

Today 6:00 · Podcast · 1 min. reading time Persecution, corruption, and even murder. In this summer series, Emma du Chatinier and Lise Witteman unpack recent groundbreaking stories by fellow journalists from across Europe. How did their investigations impact society? And what does their journalism reveal about the state of European democracy? Listen to this podcast In this episode: For years, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán drew his country closer to Moscow.

The summer break is over, and Brussels is getting back into gear. While key members of the European Commission were enjoying some time off, Follow the Money was busy scrutinising the promises they offered to secure their places in Ursula von der Leyen’s second administration. It’s been nearly two years since the 27 Commissioners faced the European Parliament, where they had to defend their credentials and win the backing of the bloc’s lawmakers.

“We steal honestly ... but not among ourselves!” Those were the words of Vincenzo Perrillo, a member of the Italian mafia – and allegedly a crucial figure within one of Europe’s biggest tax fraud schemes. He and his co-conspirators swindled millions of euros in value-added tax (VAT) by selling electronics through a complex web of shell companies.

Our journalism is only possible thanks to the trust of our paying members. Not a member yet? Sign up now Good morning reader, A warm welcome back to the first edition of Bureau Brussels after a scorching summer. As MEPs, policymakers, and officials galore return to the bloc’s power centre, we’re gearing up for a busy final stretch of the year. Expect political battles, difficult questions, and a closer look at what’s really behind the decisions shaping the EU.

Our journalism is only possible thanks to the trust of our paying members. Not a member yet? Sign up now Dear reader, This week, we opened applications for our student ambassador programme, inviting young people to help bring independent investigative journalism to their universities. Meanwhile, the latest episode of our summer podcast series looked at a pro-Russian influence operation during Moldova’s 2025 elections.

What’s the news? On Saturday, Icelanders are voting on re-opening accession talks with the EU. The fishing industry in particular has lodged a campaign against the referendum. Several key figures have been using similar strategies to those used by campaigners advocating for the UK to leave the EU. These people also have direct links to the Brexit campaign, having contributed funding to several pro-Brexit think tanks and parties, this investigation shows. Why does it matter?

Belgian investigators suspect that a NATO intern arrested on spying charges may have accomplices trying to derail the probe, Follow the Money and media partners Le Soir, Knack and La Lettre have learned. Claire Biwei Zhang– a Canadian researcher of Chinese origin in her thirties – was arrested in the Belgian city of Mons on 24 July on suspicion of “espionage on behalf of a third country and participation in a criminal organisation”.