12 Minutes With - The Europe Interview EU watchdog chief Teresa Anjinho | Fraud probes 'risk damaging EU reputation'
Dec 12, 2025
Teresa Anjinho, the European Ombudswoman, focuses on transparency and accountability, having previously served as Portugal's Justice Minister. She discusses ongoing probes into the EU, including the investigation into von der Leyen's messages. Anjinho emphasizes the importance of managing decision-making documents and urges improvements in the Commission's transparency practices. She highlights risks to the EU's reputation from procurement controversies and advocates for a more open selection process for key positions, aiming to restore citizen trust in EU institutions.
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Integrity Issues Hurt EU Reputation
- Integrity allegations risk damaging the reputation of the entire EU when they surface.
- Teresa Anjinho warns that even individual cases can erode trust in EU institutions quickly.
Dialogue Underpins Effective Oversight
- Building dialogue with institutions, agencies and member states is central to the Ombudsman's strategy.
- Teresa Anjinho links active citizen participation to successful oversight and stronger standards.
Access To Documents Is A Fundamental Right
- Access to documents is a fundamental right tied to transparency and citizen participation.
- Teresa Anjinho acknowledges criticisms of the Commission's handling of such requests are legitimate and need addressing.