UPPER SILESIA/ MORAVIAN-SILESIA - This investigation looks into preventive measures taken after the ecological disaster on the Oder river in 2022. It showcases the conflict between economic development and environmental preservation and the need for cross-border systemic solutions.

FERLO / KANEM - By tracking billions in funding, visiting remote sites, and speaking with those directly affected, a cross-border team of journalists examined the gap between the Great Green Wall’s grand promises and its on-the-ground reality.

SAN MARTÍN - This investigation traces the global supply chain of sacha inchi, an Amazonian seed also known as ‘the Inca’s gold’, to expose the mechanisms of modern-day biopiracy.

PRISTINA – This investigation explores the long-term human and environmental consequences of the use of NATO's use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions during the 1998–1999 Kosovo War.

ATHENS / ROME - An investigation across Europe reveals that unaccompanied minors fleeing war and persecution face significant delays in family reunification due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, such as understaffed guardianship systems and political reluctance to facilitate transfers.

TRIESTE / INGOLSTADT / VIENNA – Despite the EU’s commitment to phasing out fossil fuels, the Transalpine Pipeline continues to transport crude oil across the Alps, with no indication of stopping. Journalists from Italy, Austria and Germany have revealed that the system is still being fed with public funds intended to end the fossil era.

AALSMEER / NAIVASHA/ TABACUNDO – This cross-border investigation reveals the hidden economic, social and ecological asymmetries of roses, which symbolise love in the north but often represent exploitation in the south.

MADRID / LISBON - The investigation reveals why the Iberian rail connection is 15 years behind schedule, and why the new targets are also unlikely to be met.

VICENZA / LOTE PARSHURAM - What happens to a Western chemical plant after it closes down due to causing an environmental disaster? To India. This investigation reveals how a factory producing PFAS at the centre of an environmental scandal in Italy was dismantled and rebuilt in India, where production of 'forever chemicals' has resumed.

ISTANBUL / DAMASCUS – A cross-border investigation uncovers how Turkey’s booming recycled steel industry is fuelled by scrap metal sourced from war-torn countries such as Syria, Libya, and Ukraine. By tracing shipping data, satellite images, and smuggling routes, journalists reveal a shadow trade involving militias, child labour, and sanctioned actors, linking Europe’s steel supply chain to the region’s conflicts.

AMSTERDAM / BUDAPEST / SIDNEY – This cross-border investigation examined how the world’s most controversial herbicide secured a ten-year re-approval in the European Union despite mounting scientific and legal concerns. 

PRAGUE/ BERLIN/ BRUSSELS - The European project “The Housing Games” investigates whether the people essential to keep our cities running can still afford to live in them.

BUCHAREST / ROME / DHAKA – The investigation exposes how Romania’s chaotic labour migration system pushes legal migrant workers into illegality, trapping many in conditions akin to modern slavery. Through interviews and data analysis, the team reveals a network of recruiters, companies, and officials profiting from migrants’ vulnerability while European governments look the other way.

BOGOTA -  The surrogacy industry has become worth billions of dollars as demand in Europe has increased due to changing cultural attitudes and favourable legal changes. This investigation reveals the consequences of this trend on the other side of the Atlantic.

IJMUIDEN/ FRASERBURGH/ DUNVEGAN/ HVIDE SANDE – The European fishing industry is becoming increasingly reliant on migrant labour from outside the EU. However, due to the difficulty of regulating international waters, as well as a lack of knowledge and oversight regarding labour laws, these migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation.

PARIS / MADRID/ BERLIN – This cross-border journalistic investigation examines the environmental footprint of professional football in Europe - a sport that, despite growing awareness and a few promising initiatives, remains largely out of step with ecological imperatives.

TUSCANY / NARITA – Multi-billion-euro black market in European eels is one of the world’s most lucrative and sophisticated environmental crimes — and it starts in Europe. Smuggled by organised crime groups to Asia via third countries, the trade is pushing the species to the brink of extinction within a decade.

BELFAST / ATHENS / BUDAPEST / MILAN - These investigations, conducted across Northern Ireland, Greece, Hungary and Italy, reveal disparities in the provision of access to care for postpartum mental health issues.

BELGRADE / SARAJEVO / ZAGREB – This investigation into obstetric practices in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina reveals that procedures are often carried out during childbirth without adequate consent or information. This results in long-lasting physical and psychological consequences for women.

BRUSSELS / RIGA – Utilising AI-driven analysis of Russian customs data, the Tools of War project uncovers the clandestine network of European companies that profited from supplying high-tech machinery to Russia's military, enhancing its capabilities prior to the invasion of Ukraine.

BELFAST / ATHENS / BUDAPEST / MILAN - These investigations, conducted across Northern Ireland, Greece, Hungary and Italy, reveal disparities in the provision of access to care for postpartum mental health issues.

SARDINIA / TUSCANY / ARAGON - This investigation exposes systemic exploitation of migrant agricultural workers in the pastoral sector, with fieldwork conducted in Italy and in Spain.

MARRAKESH – The aim of this investigation is to trace and shed light on the role of European funds and supplies played in strengthening the Moroccan regime's control capabilities in matters of security.

BURGAS / SOFIA / DAMASCUS – Following Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area in 2025, its border with Turkey became the latest frontier for the European Union’s migration policy. Based on months of field reporting, this investigation reveals that the Bulgarian authorities are not required by the EU to investigate the series of human rights violations taking place in this border area.

TIRANA / MILANO – This cross-border investigative project focuses on researching the abuses and irregularities caused by the privatisation of immigration reception and detention centres in several countries.

MILAN/ BRUSSELS - As artificial intelligence expands across Europe, so does the demand for data centers. Traditionally hosted in cities like Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin, these hubs are nearing full capacity. Milan, with its strategic location in the Mediterranean, is emerging as a key player.

BRUSSELS/DUBLIN - For decades, European consumers have been warned about the dangers of smoking. Yet wine and beer still carry no clear health warnings, even though alcohol is one of the leading preventable causes of cancer. This investigation reveals how the European alcohol industry has fought to keep it that way.

KIRUNA – Europe’s green ambitions are colliding with the Arctic’s oldest way of life. In Kiruna, Sweden, a massive rare earth mine promises a lot for the success of the green transition for the EU – but also cultural extinction for the Sámi. The fight over Per Geijer isn’t just about minerals: It’s about who pays the price for Europe’s “clean” future.

MADRID / MILAN –In a disturbing trend dubbed “pop fascism”, Franco, Mussolini and Hitler are resurfacing on TikTok and beyond as memes, chants and emojis. A cross-border investigation by Maldita.es and Facta show that the idolisation of dictators and the spread of disinformation are becoming embedded in everyday digital culture.

BRUSSELS – Billions of “turbochickens” grow at record speed, suffering serious health problems in the process. This investigation exposes how the poultry industry manages these consequences to protect profits, while promoting itself as “responsible”. Hundreds of global food brands face mounting pressure to phase out these breeds by 2026.

LA VILLETTE / TUNIS / MARRAKECH / ISTANBUL - Mediterranean Low Cost investigates the negative impacts of touristification and gentrification on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, focusing on four areas particularly affected by the phenomena: Malta, Istanbul, Marrakech, and Tunis. 

TENERIFE / NAPLES - Overtourism has turned destinations like Naples and Tenerife into hotspots of environmental degradation. The sea, which attracts millions of visitors to these destinations, is becoming increasingly polluted and unsafe. This cross-border journalistic investigation sheds light on the critical challenges faced by these two tourist destinations and emphasises their similarities and potential solutions.

PRAGUE / LISBON / BELGRADE / BUDAPEST — Lithium is essential for green technologies and the EU's competitiveness goals. The ongoing rush for lithium has increased interest in deposits in Czechia, Portugal, Bosnia, and Serbia.

GŻIRA / ST JULIAN'S / ADEJE / ROQUETAS DE MAR - Amphora Media and Público’s investigation explores the factors attracting immigrants to Europe in the context of how public investments happen in specific localities.

BRUSSELS / MILAN / BUCHAREST - Billions in subsidies across Italy, France and Romania were meant to promote cleaner cars, according to carbon emissions measured during lab tests. But many funded vehicles emit far more CO₂ in real life, exposing lobbying, loopholes and flawed policies.

ROTTERDAM - Despite the vision of a borderless EU enshrined in the free movement principles of the Schengen Area, EU citizens can still be deported from their host country. The majority of intra-EU deportation cases are initiated for 'causing a nuisance', and the group most affected are unsheltered migrants from Eastern Europe, primarily Poland and Romania. 

MADRID / PARIS / BRUSSELS - This cross-border investigation examines how labour activities are organised within prisons across Europe and sheds light on the broader relationship between incarceration, exploitation and rehabilitation.

BONN / FRANKFURT / MONZA / ROME - This investigation focuses on the conditions of Bengali women upon their arrival in Germany and Italy. With a sharp focus on the experiences of one immigrant group, the reporting team delves into the integration process and how immigrants form communities.

BERLIN – Volkswagen needs minerals for electric cars. War-torn Congo and Sudan have them. Long supply chains and an opaque system of certifications make it likely that “conflict minerals” end up in new electric cars from the German car giant.

LISBON / IZMIR / ROVANIEMI – In the first investigation of its kind, 41 journalists and scientists from 11 countries collaborated to measure nature loss across Europe using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence.

JANSKÉ LÁZNĚ - Skiing in Europe’s mid-altitude mountains is facing profound challenges due to climate change. This reporting team investigated the future of skiing in two highly exposed regions: the Krkonoše mountains in Czechia and the Apennines in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

BRUSSELS - This investigation revealed that farm owners who intimidate and exploit migrant workers are receiving millions in agricultural subsidies. Nearly thirty CAP payments were traced to farms that had breached workers’ rights, were under criminal investigation or had already been convicted of labour-related offences.

KINSHASA / ISANGI - This investigation exposes systematic failures in the voluntary carbon offset market through the lens of an abandoned forest protection project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ISTANBUL / LONDON - This true crime environmental series unravels a dangerous trail behind a boy's body found in recycled plastic, through witnesses, whistleblowers and hidden global scandals.

BIAŁOWIEŻA / ARMENIȘ / GRANADA – This investigation follows the remarkable recovery of Europe's largest land mammal, from the brink of extinction a century ago, focusing particularly on Poland, Romania and Spain, where the population has grown to over 7,000 today.

REPPARFJORD / KIRUNA - While the EU Critical Raw Mineral Act is designed to fast-track strategic mining projects, resistance is growing among local reindeer herders in Norway and Sweden. World views clash, policy fails to include all interests and mistrust grows. The feeling of exclusion fuels reindeer herders' anger and legal measures are considered to oppose these projects.

TARIFA - From Spain to Italy, an unassuming Japanese seaweed is wreaking havoc on marine life and coastal livelihoods. This investigation raises urgent questions about our ability to control the cargo that shipping companies unknowingly transport from one part of the world to another, and the potential consequences.

SANT'ANGELO in VADO / BUCHAREST - As people and goods migrate from one place to another, so too do plants, insects, and animals. Some of these species survive the journey, multiply uncontrollably, and profoundly affect their new ecosystems — in which case they are considered invasive species.

KYIV / WEINSTADT - Across Europe, the hunt for lithium is intensifying — fueled by the energy transition and the booming demand for electric vehicles. While the EU has long depended on imports, projects in countries like Germany and Ukraine are now pushing to tap domestic resources. 

CLUJ-NAPOCA / MILANO / HERMANKY - Despite repeated rulings from the European Court of Human Rights declaring the segregation of Roma children in schools a violation of human rights, segregation is increasing across Europe. This cross-border project investigates desegregation practices in the Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech Republic), Transylvania (Romania), and Rome (Italy).

ALYTUS / WEINSTADT – This project explores inclusion as far more than mere accessibility, focusing on participation, equality, and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities. While public discourse often limits the subject to special schools and sheltered workshops, compelling models exist that demonstrate how genuine inclusion in the workforce can be achieved through creativity, courage, and professionalism.

WEINSTADT / PRAGUE / TORINO / ALYTUS - Loneliness in old age is a growing but often invisible crisis across Europe. Millions of older people live in isolation, cut off from family ties and community life. The consequences go far beyond sadness: social isolation is linked to depression, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and higher mortality rates, including suicide.

UTRECHT / WEINSTADT - Research shows that climate justice is a crucial condition for gaining large-scale support for climate policies. However, despite its importance, research also indicates that fairness is not a key consideration for many governments when developing such policies.

BEREGOVO - Journalists embarked on a journey along the Tisza River to investigate the sources of pollution in one of Central and Eastern Europe's major waterways.

BUCHAREST / MADRID / KYIV - From cyberbullying and cyberharassment, exposure to harmful content and hate speech, to online child sexual abuse and exploitation, statistics show that all are on the rise, and digital safety for the youngest citizens has become a global concern.

TIRANA / PRAGUE / PODGORICA - In Montenegro, where pollution levels are rising and institutional responses to environmental challenges remain insufficient, community-led solutions are increasingly stepping in to bridge the gap. 

TIRANA / WEINSTADT / PRAGUE - The project brings together journalists from Albania, Germany, and the Czech Republic to investigate how Europe can balance the growing demand for renewable energy with the urgent need to protect its rivers.

THE CYCLADES – Tourism in the Greek Cyclades is booming, but at a high cost. This cross-border investigation explores how over-tourism is putting pressure on water supplies, creating waste, and fuelling uncontrolled construction projects across the islands.

BRUSSELS – This investigation examines how false narratives, political discourse and lobbying efforts in six European countries have shaped perceptions of wolves, leading to the weakening of their legal protection.

PRAGUE / KYIV – Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that is climate-resilient, restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity and strengthening rural communities. The project examines farms that have successfully implemented new strategies to highlight what works in practice and why.

BRUSSELS - The surge of the far right in the European Parliament is reshaping climate politics. This investigation reveals how these parties are collaborating with mainstream allies to undermine environmental protections and delay green reforms throughout the EU.

BRUSSELS – Today, the commercial seed market is dominated by five agricultural conglomerates: BASF, Bayer/Monsanto, DowDuPont/Corteva, Syngenta/ChemChina and Limagrain. In Europe alone, they dominate 95% of the vegetable seed supply. But why is this the case, and what does it have to do with lobbying for the deregulation of gene-edited plants?

PRAGUE / TIRANA / WEINSTADT – This project explores the surprising new roles of Czech military bunkers, which were once part of the defence system built in the 1930s. Brno’s 10-Z shelter has been revived by historian Pavel Paleček, who has turned it into a museum, cultural venue and unconventional accommodation serving retro breakfasts.

DAMASCUS – Following the collapse of the Assad regime, it emerged that at least 3,700 children had gone missing in Syria. They were either arrested alongside their parents or born to political prisoners in jail. Nobody knows where they are today. Have they been killed and buried in mass graves, illegally adopted, or forcibly sonscripted into the army? In many cases, their trail leads to Syrian and international orphanages. 

PALERMO / MATI - The Mediterranean wildfire crisis is not simply a product of climate change and bad luck. Fundamental policy failures that have undermined forest protection across Southern Europe lie at its core.

ABUJA / KADUNA - This investigation examines the operations of two UK-Turkish mining companies, Zeberced and Istanbul Quarry & Concrete, in Nigeria.

YEREVAN – This investigation examines the role played by certain Italian agencies authorised by the Italian government and accredited in Armenia until 2022 in alleged cases of child trafficking from Armenia: Anpas, Arcobaleno Onlus and Famiglia Insieme Onlus.

# Financial support
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# Projects supported
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# Grantees
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Grants 

Pascal Decroos Fund

The Pascal Decroos Fund is Journalismfund Europe's oldest grant programme. Since 1999 it strives to advance investigative journalism in Dutch-language media in Belgium

The next application deadline is (CET):

Thu, 13/11/2025 - 13:00

FPD Low Countries

With this project, Journalismfund Europe aims at addressing the shortage of local independent journalism by awarding grants to local investigative journalistic projects in Belgium and the Netherlands and stimulating cross-border collaboration.

The next application deadline is (CET): 

Thu, 13/11/2025 - 13:00

Environmental Investigative Journalism

This grant programme supports cross-border teams of professional journalists and/or news outlets to conduct investigations into environmental affairs related to geographical Europe.

The next application deadline is (CET):

Thu, 22/01/2026 - 13:00

News

Scholarships for grantees

To enable investigative journalists to share their experience and knowledge with colleagues at conferences, trainings, webinars and other available journalistic events, Journalismfund Europe provides scholarships for its grantees.

Legal Considerations for Environmental Journalists

Swiss Court Rejects Diplomatic Immunity After Investigation

2025-11-03

GENEVA – In a landmark case, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has ruled that diplomatic immunity cannot be used to block legal action over alleged exploitation of domestic workers.

German Waste Exports Under Scrutiny After Investigation

2025-10-27

DÜSSELDORF / MUNICH – Findings of a cross-border environmental investigation into waste exports discussed in state parliaments in Germany.

Invest in Free Media: Europe's Democratic Foundation

2025-10-22

BRUSSELS - Journalismfund Europe joined the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and more than 100 organisations in calling for robust and strategic EU investment in free and independent media in response to the proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034. As debates intensify over future budget priorities, our organisations stress that Europe’s democratic resilience depends on sustained and strategic support for the public interest information ecosystem.

Agenda

14Nov
15Nov
Conference

The VVOJ Conference is the annual conference of the Association of Investigative Journalists (VVOJ). It is an important meeting for investigative journalists from the Netherlands and Belgium to exchange knowledge and experience about investigative journalism.

Leuven (Belgium)
18Nov
Webinar

How do solutions journalists connect with people with lived experiences to engage their audiences?

Online
20Nov
24Nov
Conference

The Global Investigative Journalism Conference is the world’s largest international gathering of investigative journalists. The conference features training on the latest tools and techniques, cutting-edge workshops, and extensive networking and brainstorming sessions. In 2025, the conference will be held for the first time in Asia — in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)