Journalists challenge Ursula von der Leyen over EU transparency decline

The open letter, supported by organizations including the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, highlights a recurring pattern of obstruction. Journalists report that the Commission frequently denies access to information regarding public spending, such as post-Covid recovery funds, and has failed to produce critical records, including the private communications between von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.

Tom Gibson of the Committee to Protect Journalists has requested a formal meeting with the Commission, accusing the executive branch of maintaining double standards. He suggests that while the EU advocates for press freedom abroad, it simultaneously creates barriers at home to control official narratives. This push for accountability coincides with a new inquiry by the European Ombudsman into the Commission’s refusal to release documents regarding infrastructure funding in Gaza. Simultaneously, transparency advocates are testing the legal limits of environmental disclosure, as Lighthouse Reports challenges the secrecy surrounding the energy consumption data of European data centers under the Aarhus Convention.