Transparency International EU

Stand with the women who refuse to stay silent. Defend civic space. Protect whistleblowers.

Who would you add to this list? Write her name in the comments.

This is especially important for women, who are more likely to fear retaliation and often face gender bias within the justice system. This perception — and too often the reality — only deepens the hesitation to report wrongdoing.

If we care about the EU and its democracies, we must protect civic space — and the journalists and whistleblowers who defend it. That means real accountability, strong safeguards, and laws that genuinely protect those who speak truth to power.

Their names deserve to be said out loud — and they are not the only ones. Thousands of women like them, known and unknown, continue what they started.

But bravery should not come at the cost of safety.

Two European women with one thing in common: they refused to stay silent.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, we want to honour two women that exposed corruption, challenged police abuse, fought for minorities, and built movements from the ground up.

The shortest month of the year might be behind us, but that has not stopped the European political landscape from providing us with issues aplenty.

Swipe to discover last month’s highlights we worked on at Transparency International EU.

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Afterwards, Shari joined the Ideas Lab podcast to discuss political integrity and transparency. She explained why integrity matters for citizens, highlighting these are not abstract ideals, but tools enabling effective, inclusive, and fair policymaking.

She also raised significant challenges, including the deregulation process and its impact on evidence-based policymaking.

She explained the urgent need for stronger rules, independent oversight and enforcement to ensure this, and reflected on the vital role civil society plays in holding institutions to account.

🎤 Last Tuesday, our senior policy officer working on political integrity, Shari Hinds, was invited to record a podcast and speak at CEPS' (@ceps.eu) flagship event, the Ideas Lab. At the 12th edition, Shari discussed integrity, accountability, and transparency at EU institutions.

She explained the urgent need for stronger rules, independent oversight and enforcement to ensure this, and reflected on the vital role civil society plays in holding institutions to account.

In the event of any wrongdoing, OLAF must take all necessary steps to ensure accountability is delivered—for European citizens, and Epstein's victims.

OLAF must now establish whether Mr Mandelson broke the Commissioner Code of Conduct, and whether he abused his function as European Commissioner to benefit convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or himself.

Given the seriousness of the allegations facing Mr Mandelson, this is welcome news. Commissioners are bound to uphold integrity both during and after their tenure.

Call to withdraw European Parliament's Digital Omnibus rapporteur appointment - Transparency International EU The following letter was sent by Transparency International EU and the undersigned organisations to the coordinators of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Access it…

✍️ This is why, along with Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), LobbyControl, BLOOM, The Good Lobby, Observatoire des multinationales, and SOMO, we are calling for her appointment to be withdrawn.

🔎Read the full letter here: buff.ly/0cPhglM

Call to withdraw European Parliament's Digital Omnibus rapporteur appointment - Transparency International EU The following letter was sent by Transparency International EU and the undersigned organisations to the coordinators of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Access it…

📊Since taking office, she has held 471 lobby meetings. Only one of them was with a digital rights NGO.

⚠️This is a serious conflict-of-interest risk. Why should citizens have to question whose interest she's working in?

Call to withdraw European Parliament's Digital Omnibus rapporteur appointment - Transparency International EU The following letter was sent by Transparency International EU and the undersigned organisations to the coordinators of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Access it…

MEP Aura Salla was recently appointed as the European Parliament's industry committee's rapporteur for the Digital Omnibus. Before becoming an MEP, she was a Public Policy Director and Head of EU Affairs at Meta.

A former Big Tech lobbyist as rapporteur for the Digital Omnibus, a legislative package on digital rules. Does that sound right to you?

Mr Mandelson has now been arrested in the UK on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The European Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to investigate whether he behaved similarly as European Commissioner, and strip him of his pension should misconduct be established.

🤝 Civil society needs policymakers' support to thrive. The Interest Group on Civil Society offers this.

MEPs, it’s time to stand with us. Join now via this link: bit.ly/467iF4T

Read the manifesto, published today: bit.ly/3ZwDVgP

Some positive news on the rule of law in Hungary.

We have always said the Commission's premature decision to release funds to Hungary was reckless, dubious and intransparent, and the ECJ's advocate general agrees.

Our reaction at the time: transparency.eu/transparency...

Enforcement set up by MEPs, for MEPs: inside the European Parliament’s toothless Advisory Committee - Transparency International EU With scandal after scandal engulfing the European Parliament, how can the public be assured their elected representatives are acting in their interest? On paper, Members of the European Parliament…

One year ago, we submitted a complaint to the European Parliament's Advisory Committee on an EPP MEP's potential conflict of interest. One year on, nothing's come of it.

What happened, and what (hasn't) changed? Read our newest blog post on the Advisory Committee here⬇️

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At the same time, attacks on civil society, media and whistleblowers, alongside efforts to weaken anti-corruption rules and checks and balances, are undermining democracy by making it harder to expose abuses of power. The EU cannot sit by and wait for things to get even worse.

The EU needs to show political courage, and use all the political tools at its disposal. Stronger standards are urgently needed to curb undue influence and opaque money in European democracies, ensuring citizens can see who is funding political parties and influencing decision-makers.

THE 2025 CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX IS OUT

It's that time of the year again. And this year, once again, the EU's score remains 62. No improvement has been made on last year's score.

FT exclusive:

“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”

via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues

Transparency International EU calls for immediate investigation into former European Commissioner Peter Mandelson’s Epstein links - Transparency International EU Brussels, 4 February 2026 The current British allegations of abuse of office levelled at former European Commissioner Peter Mandelson are egregious and severe. Their extent warrants an immediate…

Following serious allegations of political links between Jeffrey Epstein and former European Commissioner Peter Mandelson, we're calling on the European Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office to launch an immediate investigation into potential misconduct.

Full statement:

Transparency International EU welcomes disciplinary action against former senior EU official - Transparency International EU Transparency International EU (TI EU) welcomes the European Commission’s decision to dismiss its former senior transport official Henrik Hololei, following revelations he had accepted flights paid…

On Friday, the European Commission elected to dismiss one of its former top transport officials. Henrik Hololei had allegedly accepted flights and other freebies from by Qatar, while negotiating the EU's aviation deal with the country.

This is welcome—albeit overdue—accountability.

Full statement:

European Chemicals Agency tightens conflict-of-interest rules following civil society complaint - Transparency International EU Brussels, 29 January 2026 Following a conflict-of-interest complaint submitted by Transparency International EU (TI EU) and three other civil society organsations, the European Chemicals Agency…

Last year, we complained about the European Chemicals Agency contracting a consultancy to advise it on PFAS while it advised companies lobbying the EU on the topic. In a win for transparency, it has since upgraded its rules.

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