In a written answer on 22 June 2026, Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen defended the European Commission's funding of Euronews, stressing that the broadcaster is a private, independent company and that the Commission does not interfere in its editorial decisions. The response came after five MEPs from the Europe of Sovereign Nations group — Markus Buchheit, Petr Bystron, Marc Jongen, Alexander Jungbluth and Mary Khan — raised concerns about Euronews' coverage of the trial of Azerbaijani journalists and the transparency and oversight of EU grants. Virkkunen stated that Euronews receives EU support through open calls under the Multimedia Actions budget line, which finances professional coverage of EU affairs. She emphasised that beneficiaries must adhere to high editorial standards, including transparency and impartiality, and that the Commission monitors compliance through regular deliverables, external annual content analysis, and evaluations. Audits can be conducted, and non-compliance can lead to cost rejections, grant reductions, payment suspensions or termination. However, Virkkunen noted that the Commission currently has no evidence of contractual non-compliance and that past evaluations found Euronews complies with professional standards. The answer reaffirms the Commission's commitment to media independence while outlining existing oversight mechanisms, but offers no new concrete measures or investigations in response to the MEPs' allegations.
Source✉ Open answer ↗
Asked byMarkus Buchheit (ESN), Petr Bystron (ESN) +3 more · answered by Henna Virkkunen