The Recovery Files (Part 2)

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RFF) is the largest money pot the European Union has ever set up. Around €500 billion will be channelled to member states by 2026. That money is earmarked to help revive the European economy after the COVID crisis and is tied to ambitious plans and reforms.

But fraud and corruption are lurking.

In 2021, Dutch investigative journalism platform Follow the Money started The Recovery Files project with journalists from across Europe. Even before a penny had been spent, the journalists pointed out the fund’s weaknesses: the faltering democratic process, gaps in its oversight, insufficient transparency and dubious lobbying influence.

Since then, the team has expanded to include journalists from 20 member states, and the most important phase of the investigation is now underway: mapping the beneficiaries. Is the money ending up in the right places? Are all conditions being met? And can the European Commission keep its promise that public money will be spent appropriately this time?

The investigation continues. See below for the latest stories

The Team

• Steven Vanden Bussche, Apache (Belgium)
• Gabi Horn, Átlátszó (Hungary)
• Attila Bíró, Context Investigative Reporting Project (Romania)
• Miguel Ángel Gavilanes García, El Confidencial (Spain)
• Yiorgos Kakouris, Cyprus News Agency (Cyprus)
• Joanna Demarco, Daphne Foundation (Malta)
• Staffan Dahllöf, DEO.dk (Denmark / Sweden)
• Petr Vodsedalek, Deník (Czech Republic)
• Adriana Homolova, Follow the Money (The Netherlands)
• Peter Teffer, Follow the Money (The Netherlands)
• Lise Witteman, Follow the Money (The Netherlands)
• Emilia Garcia Morales, Grupo Merca2 (Spain)
• Marcos García Rey, Grupo Merca2 (Spain)
• Beatriz Jimenez, Grupo Merca2 (Spain)
• Lukas Diko, Investigatívne centrum Jána Kuciaka (Slovakia)
• Karin Kőváry Sólymos, Investigatívne centrum Jána Kuciaka (Slovakia)
• Jarno Liski, Iltalehti (Finland)
• Carlotta Indiano, Irpimedia (Italy)
• Giulio Rubino, Irpimedia (Italy)
• Adrien Sénécat, Le Monde (France)
• Maria Delaney, Noteworthy (Ireland)
• Piotr Maciej Kaczyński, Onet.pl (Poland)
• Maria Pankowska, OKO.press (Poland)
• Matej Zwitter, Oštro Slovenija (Slovenia)
• Stefan Melichar, Profil (Austria)
• Janine Louloudi, Reporters United (Greece)
• Lars Bové, De Tijd (Belgium)
• Hans-Martin Tillack, Die Welt (Germany)

Published stories

English

• Microsite - The Recovery Files (  )
• The Recovery Files: scrutinising the billions from Brussels ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); November 3, 2021 )
• Brussels conceals records on recovery billions, despite transparency pledge ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); February 9, 2022 )
• Automotive industry scores billions for their polluting hybrids from European recovery fund ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); March 2, 2022 )
• Interview | RRF boss Céline Gauer: ‘We shouldn’t approve recovery plans made in ivory towers’ ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); March 6, 2022 )
• Member States sabotage public scrutiny of EU-funds worth hundreds of billions of euros  ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); June 29, 2022 )
• Brussels will not tolerate any ‘interference’ in how the corona billions are spent ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); September 13, 2022 )
• Consultancies profit handsomely from the EU recovery fund ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); October 18, 2022 )
• EU Ombudsman: Commission failed to give reasons for secrecy on recovery plans ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); December 1, 2022 )
• EU countries agree to reveal the winners of the 700 billion euro recovery fund ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); December 14, 2022 )
• Cash for reforms? Hard choices yet to come for EU’s recovery fund ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); January 25, 2023 )
• The billion-euro EU covid recovery fund is slow to be distributed to member states ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); July 7, 2023 )
• Consultancy firms earned more than half a billion from European covid recovery fund  ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); October 13 )
• Cash for reforms: €700 billion EU recovery fund sparks concern and criticism ( The Journal (Ireland); January 25, 2023 )
• Cash for reforms: €700 billion EU recovery fund sparks concern and criticism ( Noteworthy (Ireland); January 25, 2023 )

Dutch

• Gigantische Europese subsidiepot gaat gepaard met stille machtsoverdracht ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); November 3, 2021 )
• Het stiekeme Nederlandse selectieproces voor de EU-herstelmiljarden ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); January 26, 2022 )
• Brussel weigert documenten over coronamiljarden openbaar te maken ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); February 9, 2022 )
• Podcast | De coronamiljarden ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); February 16, 2022 )
• Grote winnaar van het Europese coronaherstelfonds: de auto-industrie  ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); March 2, 2022 )
• Interview | EU-topambtenaar Céline Gauer: aanpakken huizenmarkt is voorwaarde voor EU-miljarden ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); March 6, 2022 )
• Lidstaten saboteren toezicht op de honderden miljarden van het Europese coronaherstelfonds ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); June 29, 2022 )
• Brussel duldt geen ‘inmenging’ in besteding coronamiljarden ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); September 13, 2022 )
• Op zoek naar de miljarden uit het Europese herstelfonds (  Apache (Netherlands); June 29, 2022 )
• Coronaherstelfonds werkt als magneet op adviesbureaus (  Apache (Netherlands); October 18, 2022 )
• Adviesbureaus verdienen riant aan het EU-coronaherstelfonds ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); October 18, 2022 )
• EU-landen eindelijk bereid grootste ontvangers van miljardenfonds te onthullen ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); December 14, 2022 )
• Nederland beloofde in ruil voor EU-miljarden maatregelen die al waren genomen ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); January 25, 2023 )
• Europa beloofde miljarden voor ‘coronaherstel’, en dat geld komt maar niet bij lidstaten ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); July 7, 2023 )
• België verzwijgt welke bedrijven honderden miljoenen krijgen uit coronaherstelfonds ( Apache (Netherlands); October 13 )
• Consultancykantoren verdienden meer dan een half miljard aan het Europese coronaherstelfonds ( Follow the Money (Netherlands); October 13 )
• Belgische relance ontaardt in wirwar aan projecten ( Apache (Netherlands); January 25, 2023 )
• Geen transparantie over Europese miljardensteun ( De Tijd (Belgium);June 29, 2022 )
• De grote relanceshow van 7,5 miljard doorgelicht ( De Tijd (Belgium); January 25, 2023 )
• België wil niet vrijgeven welke bedrijven miljoenen opstrijken uit coronafonds ( De Tijd (Belgium); October 13, 2023 )

Spanish

• Fondos europeos: el Gobierno español y la Comisión Europea incumplen su promesa de transparencia  ( ABC (Spain); February 2, 2022 )
• Sabotaje alemán al fondo de recuperación: así se ocultó quiénes reciben el dinero  ( El Confidencial (Spain); June 29, 2022 )
• ¿Quién se lleva los fondos Next Generation? La lista de las 100 empresas más beneficiadas ( El Confidencial (Spain); October 31, 2023 )
• Fondos europeos: España y la UE dificultan conocer a los beneficiarios de 800.000 millones ( Moncloa (Spain); June 29, 2022 )
• Fondos europeos y conflictos de interés: España y la Comisión contrataron a consultoras para redactar planes nacionales  ( Moncloa (Spain); October 18, 2022 )

Hungarian

• Mit adott nekünk Brüsszel? Így költik a tagállamok az uniós helyreállítási alap milliárdjait ( atlatszo (Hungary); Novemeber 4, 2021 )

Romanian

• Banii post-COVID: Schema serviciilor de consultanță  ( Context (Romania); October 20, 2023 )
• Comisia Europeană ține la secret mii de documente despre miliardele de euro din Mecanismul de Redresare  ( ISE (Romania); February 22, 2022 )

Czech

• Skryté riziko. Miliardy z Bruselu oživí ekonomiku. Mohou ale oslabit demokracii ( Deník N (Czech Republic); November 3, 2021 )
• Brusel zatajuje záznamy o miliardách na obnovu po covidu. Navzdory slibu  ( Deník N (Czech Republic); February 9, 2022 )

Danish

• EU’s historiske kickstart stiller de folkevalgte på sidelinjen (  DEO.dk (Denmark); November 3, 2021 )
• Ingen aktindsigt i beslutningerne om EU’s nye milliardfonde (  DEO.dk (Denmark); February 9, 2022 )
• Milliardstøtte til bilindustrien og russisk gas i EU’s grønne omstilling (  DEO.dk (Denmark); March 16, 2022 )
• EU-milliarder på vej til ukendte modtagere (  DEO.dk (Denmark); June 29, 2022 )
• Kommissionen om Corona-milliarderne: ”Forstyr ikke – udbetaling pågår” (  DEO.dk (Denmark); September 22, 2022 )
• Gennembrud for åbenhed om Corona-fondene (  DEO.dk (Denmark); December 23, 2022 )

Slovak

• Brusel tají informácie o miliardovom Fonde obnovy a rokovaniach s členskými štátmi  ( ICJK (Slovakia); September 18, 2022 )

Finnish

• RecoveryFiles -projekti: Bryssel salaa elpymismiljardien asiakirjoja lupauksista huolimatta  ( Iltalehti (Finland); February 9, 2022 )
• EU:n elpymisrahasto on kultakaivos konsulteille - auttavat niin rahan jakajia kuin saajia  ( Iltalehti (Finland); October 18, 2022 )

Italian

• Le voci del Recovery: chi ha deciso il piano di ripartenza in Europa ( IRPI Media (Italy); November 3, 2021 )
• Recovery Fund: il muro di gomma sui negoziati europei ( IRPI Media (Italy); February 2, 2022 )
• Il PNRR italiano trascura la transizione dell’automotive ( IRPI Media (Italy); March 2, 2022 )
• La trasparenza a fasi alterne del Recovery Fund ( IRPI Media (Italy); June 29, 2022 )
• La marea delle consulenze per le riforme dei Pnrr europei  ( IRPI Media (Italy); October 18, 2022 )

French

• En dépit de son engagement pour la transparence, Bruxelles refuse de dévoiler des documents sur le plan de relance européen ( Le Monde (France); February 9, 2022 )
• L’industrie automobile, bénéficiaire controversée du plan de relance européen ( Le Monde (France); March 2, 2022 )
• Malgré les engagements de Bruxelles, l’utilisation des fonds du plan de relance européen manque de transparence ( Le Monde (France); June 29, 2022 )
• Comment les cabinets de conseil profitent des plans de relance européens  ( Le Monde (France); October 18, 2022 )
• La réforme des retraites est-elle vraiment dictée par Bruxelles? ( Le Monde (France); January 12, 2023 )
• Comment Bruxelles a conditionné le plan de relance de l’UE à des objectifs concrets ( Le Monde (France); January 25, 2023 )

Polish

• Rząd PiS wyda miliardy z UE w tajemnicy. A Unia mu na to pozwoli  ( OKO.press (Poland); June 29, 2022 )
• System kamieni milowych w fazie testów, Bruksela pod presją. Skorzysta na tym rząd PiS? ( OKO.press (Poland); January 25, 2023 )
• Teczki Odbudowy: jak wydawane będą miliardy z Brukseli ( Onet.pl (Poland); November 3, 2021 )
• "Absurdalne" i "niechlujne" działania rządów i Komisji Europejskiej. Urzędnicy nie chcą pokazać jawnych dokumentów ( Onet.pl (Poland); February 16, 2022 )

Croatian

• EK odugovlači s informacijama o europskim milijardama ( Oštro (Croatia); February 9, 2022 )
• Rimac projekt samovoznog taksija dogovarao izravno s Komisijom ( Oštro (Croatia); March 2, 2022 )
• Primatelji novca iz Fonda za oporavak skriveni od javnosti ( Oštro (Croatia); June 29, 2022 )
• Hrvatsku vladu savjetovala konzultantska kuća koja se našla na crnoj listi Europske komisije ( Oštro (Croatia); October 18, 2022 )

Slovenian

• Evropske milijarde brez demokratične razprave ( Oštro (Slovenia); November 3, 2021 )
• Komisija zavira sledenje evropskim milijardam ( Oštro (Slovenia); February 9, 2022 )
• Avtomobilska industrija sporni zmagovalec sklada za okrevanje ( Oštro (Slovenia); March 2, 2022 )
• Skriti prejemniki sredstev za okrevanje ( Oštro (Slovenia); June 29, 2022 )
• Komisija privatizira strokovno podporo državam pri reformah  ( Oštro (Slovenia); October 18, 2022 )

Greek

• Το Χρυσό Ταμείο και η Εκλεκτή Σύμβουλος ( Reporters United (Greece); October 24, 2022 )
• Το Ταμείο παίζεται στις καθυστερήσεις ( Reporters United (Greece); July 10, 2023 )

German

• Wie in Hinterzimmern über die Milliarden aus Brüssel entschieden wird ( Welt (Germany); November 3, 2021 )
• Olaf Scholz will sich beim EU-Milliardenfonds nicht in die Karten schauen lassen ( Welt (Germany); February 9, 2022 )
• Scholz ließ Nennung der Nutznießer beim EU-Aufbaufonds blockieren ( Welt (Germany); June 28, 2022 )
• So schafft Brüssel ein Konjunkturprogramm für Beratungsfirmen ( Welt (Germany); October 18, 2022 )
• Für Brüsseler Milliardensubventionen muss Deutschland nachsitzen  ( Welt (Germany); January 25, 2023 )
• Die EU-Milliarden für Deutschland, die nicht fließen ( Welt (Germany); July 20, 2023 )
• Wie Deutschland bei der Digitalisierung versagt ( Welt (Germany); October 8, 2023 )
• Brüssel hält Korrespondenz zu Wiederaufbau-Milliarden zurück ( ZackZack (Austria); February 9, 2022 )
• Autoindustrie: Milliarden aus Brüssel für umweltschädliche Hybride ( ZackZack (Austria); February 9, 2022 )
• Wie Berater von den Brüsseler Corona-Milliarden profitieren  ( ZackZack (Austria); October 18, 2022 )
• EU-Milliarden für Österreich: Überfordert statt überfördert ( Profil (Austria); October 13, 2023 )