Investigation
Five EUobserver investigations from 2025 so far you shouldn't miss
Behind the scenes, new defence deals, border technologies, and climate projects are quietly redrawing the lines of European policy and accountability.
Over the past few months, EUobserver reporters and collaborators have been working hard to delve beyond official narratives and provide a deeper understanding of the complexities shaping Europe’s future.
Here’s a reminder of some of the investigations you may have missed — and why they still matter.
From Liège to Israel: Mystery of Boeing cargo flights from Belgium to Israel
By Andrew Rettman & Jan Antonissen
26 June 2025
A Boeing 747 cargo jet making regular flights from Liège to Tel Aviv raised alarm bells among arms-control experts until EUobserver revealed its surprising contents: fish.
Yet behind the odd detail lies a bigger concern. Belgian authorities appear to have little control over what’s flying out of their territory, revealing worrying loopholes in EU aviation and customs oversight.
Green dreams: The cost of EU’s hydrogen gamble in Namibia
By Daphné Dupont‑Nivet
13 May 2025
EU leaders have touted Namibia’s Hyphen project as a model for climate cooperation with the Global South. But as EUobserver reveals, the project — planned in a sensitive coastal region — risks undermining local biodiversity and failing to benefit Namibian communities.
As Europe doubles down on hydrogen, this story explores the cost of hydrogen projects being deployed abroad.
Unpacking EU’s food fight over new gene-edited supercrops
By Gabriela Galindo & Jelena Prtorić
15 March 2025
The EU is on the verge of rewriting its rules on genetically modified organisms, this time with a biotech twist. But many questions remain over the consequences of fast-tracking so-called "new genomic techniques" (NGTs) onto European fields with lower oversight.
This investigation unpacks what’s really behind the push: biotech lobbying, patent battles, and a deep divide between industrial agriculture and organic farmers.
Dekonspiratsiya: Meet 20 of Putin's EU spies
By Andrew Rettman
7 March 2025
With exclusive sources and intelligence leaks, EUobserver profiles 20 alleged Russian spies embedded in its Belgian embassy.
This exposé names names and details how Europe’s democratic systems are being quietly infiltrated.
Rear Window: How a UK firm spied on target in the EU capital
By Andrew Rettman
31 January 2025
A British private intelligence firm secretly surveilled a Kazakh refugee and lawyer in the heart of Brussels, as revealed by court documents in Belgium. This investigation details how the firm trailed its target through public spaces, such as Place du Châtelain, using covert methods later condemned as “creepy” and unlawful.
EXTRA:
European Defence Fund millions benefiting Israeli state-owned drone manufacturer
This research by our partners Investigative Europe exposes how, despite EU bans on funding non-EU defence firms, a Greek firm 90-percent owned by Israeli state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries has quietly secured millions from the European Defence Fund.
Smart Fortress Europe: How Greece uses tech to crack down on migration
This republication of an investigation by Salomon reveals how border control in Greece has evolved into a digital frontier: biometric gates, thermal cameras, drones, and facial recognition all backed by EU funds.
EUobserver will continue publishing original investigations throughout the year. Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed — and support independent journalism that holds power to account.
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