The category Controlling Investigative Journalism recognises work that scrutinises policy and the functioning of government, businesses, and other organisations, including the exposure of unintended or unwanted side effects.
The first nominated investigation, PFAS: Forever Pollution, was produced by Emiel Woutersen, Bijou van der Borst, Simon Dequeker, Jasper Been and Lisa van der Velden, and published in Investico, Het Financieele Dagblad and De Groene Amsterdammer. The cross-border project, coordinated by the French newspaper Le Monde and involving 29 media organisations, reveals how PFAS manufacturers are using questionable scientific arguments, including hired scientists and consultants, to water down a proposed European ban on PFAS production.
The second nominated investigation, De schaduwkant van open grenzen — hoe Nederland jaarlijks honderden dakloze Oost-Europeanen deporteert, was produced by Willemijn Sneep, Zuza Nazaruk and Andrada Lautaru and published in Vers Beton, in collaboration with Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Balkan Insight and Context (Romania). Based on more than 65 interviews with homeless EU citizens, immigration authorities, lawyers and care institutions, the investigation exposes the legal basis and effectiveness of the Netherlands' practice of deporting hundreds of homeless Polish and Romanian citizens each year, despite their right to free movement meaning many simply return, sometimes more than twenty times.
The third nomination, Business or pleasure? Wie Antwerp Airport echt gebruikt, was carried out by Sarah D'Hertefelt and Loes Debuysere and published in Apache. Drawing on a unique dataset of all flight movements at Antwerp Airport in 2023 and 2024, the data investigation shows that the Flemish government is pumping millions of euros of public money into the loss-making airport on the grounds that it is indispensable to the regional economy, while in reality the airport primarily serves private jets carrying property developers, consultants and software millionaires to holiday destinations such as Cannes, St-Tropez and Gstaad.
The VVOJ will announce three nominees per category on Wednesday 27 May 2026. Winners will be revealed and presented with their awards on Friday 19 June during the 'Feest van de Onderzoeksjournalistiek' in Amsterdam.
More info: www.vvoj.org
