Investigate Europe
{{Short description|Cross-border journalism organisation}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Investigate Europe
| formation = 2016
| logo =
| headquarters = Berlin, Germany
| leader_title = Managing Directors
| leader_name = Alessia Cerantola, Peter Matjašič
| website = https://www.investigate-europe.eu
}}
Investigate Europe is a team of investigative journalists focusing on in-depth European issues, using techniques such as open source reporting, data journalism and freedom of information requests. The organisation is registered as a not-for-profit European cooperative. Its reporters conduct in-depth, cross-border investigations into migration, conflict and corruption, and work with leading media to publish their findings. This collaborative approach raises public awareness of under-reported issues.
History
Investigate Europe was founded in 2016 by a group of economic journalists from different European countries.{{Cite web |title=Journalisten starten internationales Recherche-Netzwerk Investigate Europe. |url=https://www.turi2.de/aktuell/journalisten-starten-internationales-recherche-netzwerk-investigate-europe/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=turi2 |language=de-DE}} It was registered as a non-profit organisation in 2019. The organisations first managing directors were Oliver Moldenhauer and Elisa Simantke.{{Cite journal |date=2023-11-22 |title=Current imprint for Investigate Europe gSCE mbH |journal=German Commercial Register}}
Publications
Investigate Europe has published dozens of cross-border investigations since its foundation. Of particular note is its investigation into a previously little-known investment protection treaty, the Energy Charter Treaty.{{Cite web |title=Energy Charter Treaty |url=https://www.investigate-europe.eu/themes/investigations/energy-charter-treaty |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Investigate Europe |language=en}} As a result, more than a million people signed a petition calling on EU countries to withdraw from the treaty.{{Cite web |title=Stop the anti-climate agreement! - CAN Europe |url=https://caneurope.org/ect-petition/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=caneurope.org}} Multiple EU member states eventually withdrew from the treaty.{{Cite news |last=Neslen |first=Arthur |date=2022-10-21 |title=France becomes latest country to leave controversial energy charter treaty |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/21/france-becomes-latest-country-to-leave-controversial-energy-charter-treaty |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2022-11-11 |title=Germany to leave Energy Charter Treaty |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-to-leave-energy-charter-treaty/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Poland moves to exit ECT |url=https://globalarbitrationreview.com/article/poland-moves-exit-ect |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=globalarbitrationreview.com |language=en}} In another investigation Investigate Europe revealed the Moria logbook,{{Cite web |date=2020-11-20 |title=Moria: Logbook of horrors |url=https://www.investigate-europe.eu/en/posts/moria-logbook-unaccompanied-minors }} in which the camp management recorded the conditions under which unaccompanied minors were housed in the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. In the Secrets of Council project,{{Cite web |title=Secrets of the Council |url=https://www.investigate-europe.eu/transparency/secrets-of-the-council |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Investigate Europe |language=en}} Investigate Europe has been working since 2017 to make decision-making in the Council of the EU more transparent.
Recognitions
Investigate Europe's research is published in Europe's major newspapers, including the Guardian,{{Cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Juliet |date=2019-11-26 |title=Europe needs China's billions. But does it know the price? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/26/europe-china-billions-strings-attached |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Público,{{Cite web |last=Europe |first=Paulo Pena/Investigate |date=2022-06-26 |title=Pesticidas: guerra aberta na Europa sobre um perigo invisível |url=https://www.publico.pt/2022/06/26/economia/investigacao/pesticidas-guerra-aberta-europa-perigo-invisivel-2010999 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=PÚBLICO |language=pt}} Mediapart,{{Cite web |last=Europe) |first=Yann Philippin, Leïla Miñano, Maxence Peigné, Lorenzo Buzzoni (Investigate |date=2022-05-18 |title=Un scandale financier luxembourgeois menace Orpea |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/economie/180522/un-scandale-financier-luxembourgeois-menace-orpea |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Mediapart |language=fr}} Il Fatto Quotidiano,{{Cite web |title=Legge Ue sui media, stop dell'Italia: "Dobbiamo poter spiare i giornalisti" |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/in-edicola/articoli/2023/12/12/legge-ue-sui-media-stop-dellitalia-dobbiamo-poter-spiare-i-giornalisti/7380552/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it-IT}} Dagens Nyheter,{{Cite web |date=2023-05-03 |title=EU-parlamentets lyxfond går i graven med miljardskuld |url=https://www.dn.se/varlden/eu-parlamentets-lyxfond-gar-i-graven-med-miljardskuld/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv}} Gazeta Wyborcza,{{Cite web |title=Wyborcza.pl |url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,29712100,europa-w-plastikowej-pulapce.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=wyborcza.pl}} Republik,{{Cite journal |last1=Schmid |first1=Simon |last2=Schmidt |first2=Nico |last3=Schumann |first3=Harald |date=2020-10-06 |title=Europa in der Erdgasfalle |url=https://www.republik.ch/2020/10/06/europa-in-der-erdgasfalle |journal=Republik |language=de}} Der Standard{{Cite web |title=EU-Staaten wollen Überwachung von Journalisten legitimieren |url=https://www.derstandard.de/story/3000000198714/eu-staaten-wollen-ueberwachung-von-journalisten-legitimieren |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}} and Tagesspiegel.{{Cite news |title=Investigate Europe: Wie Lobbys und rechte Politiker die Reduktion von Pestiziden behindern |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/investigate-europe-wie-lobbys-und-rechte-politiker-die-reduktion-von-pestiziden-behindern-516801.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=Der Tagesspiegel Online |language=de-DE |issn=1865-2263}} The organisation's work has contributed to public debates,{{Cite web |date=2024-02-21 |title=The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is a huge obstacle for the clean energy transition {{!}} Transnational Institute |url=https://www.tni.org/en/article/exitect |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.tni.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=KOKKALIS |first=Petros |title=Parliamentary question {{!}} Rail passengers endangered by TRAINOSE rolling stock {{!}} E-001049/2022 {{!}} European Parliament |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2022-001049_EN.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=en}} policy discussions{{Cite web |last=PEREIRA |first=Sandra |title=Parliamentary question {{!}} Surging housing prices in the EU and tax breaks in the property sector {{!}} E-000122/2023 {{!}} European Parliament |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-000122_EN.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=European Ombudsman |url=https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/doc/correspondence/en/146518 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.ombudsman.europa.eu}} and legislative processes{{Cite web |last=SARYUSZ-WOLSKI |first=Jacek |title=Parlamentarische Anfrage {{!}} Verletzung der Rechtsstaatlichkeit durch Deutschland und Frankreich durch Verstoß gegen das Embargo der EU in Bezug auf Waffenausfuhren nach Russland {{!}} O-000017/2022 {{!}} Europäisches Parlament |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/O-9-2022-000017_DE.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Verbatim report of proceedings - Energy Charter Treaty: next steps (debate) - Wednesday, 4 October 2023 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2023-10-04-ITM-013_EN.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=en}} in the EU and its member states.
A selection of prize nominations and awards:
- 2023: Awarded "Highly Recommended" in the International News Media Organisation of the Year category by the British Society of Editors{{Cite web |title=Media Freedom Awards 2023 winners – Society of Editors |url=https://www.societyofeditors.org/events/media-freedom-awards-2023/media-freedom-awards-2023-winners/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |language=en-GB}}
- 2022: IJ4EU Impact Award{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=IJ4EU Impact Award 2022 winners announced |url=https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/ij4eu-impact-award-2022-winners-announced/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=IJ4EU |language=en-US}}
- 2021: Shortlisted for the German Reporterpreis{{Cite web |title=RF - Nominierungen 2021 |url=https://www.reporter-forum.de/reporterinnen-preis/reporterinnen-preis-2021/nominierungen-2021 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.reporter-forum.de}}
- 2021: Shortlisted for the European Press Prize Award for Distinguished Reporting{{Cite web |title=2021 |url=https://www.europeanpressprize.com/shortlists/year-2021/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=European Press Prize}}
- 2020: Longlist in the "Documentary" category of the Henri Nannen Prize{{Cite web |title=Nannen Preis 2020 Longlist |url=https://epub.sub.uni-hamburg.de//epub/volltexte/2020/107012/pdf/nannen_preis_2020.pdf}}
- 2019: Hans Matthöfer Award for Economic Journalism{{Cite web |title=Hans-Matthöfer-Preis für Wirtschaftspublizistik 2019 |url=https://www.fes.de/abteilung-wirtschafts-und-sozialpolitik/hans-matthoefer-preis-fuer-wirtschaftspublizistik/preistraeger-2019 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.fes.de}}
- 2017: Keynes Society Award for Economic Journalism{{Cite web |title=Preise der Keynes-Gesellschaft {{!}} Keynes-Gesellschaft |url=https://keynes-gesellschaft.de/preise-der-keynes-gesellschaft/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |language=de-DE}}
Funding
A number of small and large donors support Investigate Europe's work, as do foundations - including Fritt Ord,{{Cite web |title=Journalism Across Borders |url=https://frittord.no/en/news/journalism-across-borders |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Fritt Ord |language=en}} the Schöpflin Foundation,{{Cite web |title=Gemeinnütziger Journalismus - Schöpflin Stiftung |url=https://www.schoepflin-stiftung.de/foerdern/medien-gesellschaft/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=www.schoepflin-stiftung.de}} the Rudolf Augstein Foundation{{Cite web |title=Investigate Europe |url=https://rudolf-augstein-stiftung.de/foerderbereich-journalismus-projekte/investigate-europe/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Rudolf Augstein Stiftung |language=de-de}} and the Reva and David Logan Foundation.{{Cite web |title=Grants |url=https://loganfdn.org/grants/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=The Reva and David Logan Foundation |language=en-US}} In addition, the Journalismfund{{Cite web |title=JF-supported network publishes first investigation {{!}} Journalismfund Europe |url=https://www.journalismfund.eu/news/jf-supported-network-publishes-first-investigation |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.journalismfund.eu |language=en}} and IJ4EU programmes{{Cite web |date=2023-06-27 |title=Ten investigations that made headlines across Europe |url=https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/ten-investigations-that-made-headlines-across-europe/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=IJ4EU |language=en-US}} have supported several Investigate Europe investigations.