Why Orbán’s man in Brussels is here to stay — for now Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi’s job looks secure, thanks to EU traditions and positive reviews from colleagues.

The EU is eager to move on from Viktor Orbán, but there is one part of his legacy that's likely to continue: his European commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi.

How to get hold of a commissioner’s texts A weekly newsletter on campaigning, lobbying and political influence in the EU. By MARI ECCLES Tips, tales, traumas to influence@politico.eu | View in your browser Hello and welcome to EU Influence…

"Anyone who has put in an FOI to the Commission knows it’s a painful process," writes @marieccles.bsky.social.

WORD.

www.politico.eu/newsletter/p...

🫡

Big EU lobby groups exaggerated industry support for attack on carbon price A letter to EU leaders was issued ‘on behalf of’ 1,300 signatories. Some firms deny they supported the demands.

An influential industry petition criticizing the European Union’s core climate policy implied its demands were supported by some 1,350 companies and associations.

Now some firms deny they signed up.

www.politico.eu/article/big-...

The MAGA-friendly European think tanks Trump wants to fund The Heritage Foundation identified European groups for U.S. backing.

🚨🚨 "Surprise, surprise": The U.S. is reorienting its foreign funding program to export #MAGA ideology to Europe — and a growing set of far-right and conservative think tanks and political groups are lining up to take Washington’s money. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/maga...

Mandelson should lose pension if he broke EU rules in Epstein scandal, campaigners say  European officials are “assessing” whether the ex-commissioner contravened the ethics code.

Disgraced British politician Peter Mandelson is facing demands to be stripped of his pension as a former European commissioner if investigators found he broke EU rules over his contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Slovak PM Robert Fico — an ally of Donald Trump — was left shocked at the U.S. president's state of mind after a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, five European diplomats told us.

Fico was concerned about Trump's "psychological state," two of them said.

🔗 www.politico.eu/article/dona...

🍷 The health NGO funding cuts are starting to bite - Europe's anti-alcohol NGO, the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), will close its Brussels office after the Commission withdraws funding 🍷

pro.politico.eu/news/207703

Ombudsman probes Commission over red-tape-cutting chats with industry The watchdog is examining a complaint that the executive has been “evasive” about its meetings with lobbyists.

🇪🇺 mini-scoop! 🇪🇺

The EU's watchdog is probing whether the European Commission acted secretively in its dealings with industry before launching a series of business-friendly initiatives

www.politico.eu/article/ombu...

European Commission under pressure over Hungarian spying allegations MEPs want to know if the EU executive knew about alleged Hungarian spying. Some are calling for Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to resign if implicated.

🕵️The alleged Hungarian embassy spy ring was an open secret in Brussels, say EU officials who tell us they were approached by intelligence officers.

So what did the European Commission know?

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Orbán rival Magyar accuses Várhelyi of ‘not revealing whole truth’ in Hungarian spy affair Challenger Peter Magyar holds a sharp lead on the Hungarian prime minister ahead of the April election in Hungary.

Viktor Orbán’s rival Péter Magyar has accused Hungarian Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi of holding back information as an ambassador during a period when a spy ring is alleged to have operated out of his office.

Hoekstra’s mano a mano with China wobbles climate summit EU’s top climate envoy’s war of words sparks fears of diplomatic discord ahead of COP30.

"Some were left wondering what Hoekstra hoped to achieve when he attacked Beijing for a “clearly disappointing” climate plan — especially after the EU had failed to present its own strategy."

w. @l-guillot.bsky.social and @marieccles.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/wopk...

thank you!

diolch!

Top colleague @roneilll.bsky.social got hold of the EU's plan to secure Europe's drug supply a day before the Commission announces it. Full Critical Medicines Act doc from him and @claudiachiappa.bsky.social here for Pros (€) pro.politico.eu/news/195310

With Smoke Free Partnership, we've written to European Parliament President Metsola about #tobacco industry interference 🚭

MEPs held 100+ meetings with tobacco #lobbyists during 2019-2024

Since the elections, there were already more than 33 such meetings 🤯

www.corporateeurope.org/en/tobacco-i...

Portugal’s Teresa Anjinho elected EU ethics watchdog She takes over from Emily O’Reilly, who has was in the role for more than a decade.

Teresa Anjinho, who sits on the supervisory board of the European Anti-Fraud Office, was elected on Tuesday as the new European ombudsman for a five-year term.

If any news outlet is looking for a stringer in the region, my former Politico colleague @clothildegouj.bsky.social has moved to Amman — reports in French and English + speaks Arabic + is an excellent journalist

Up to 1 in 5 households in Europe experience catastrophic spending because of health-care costs, new WHO digital platform shows Up to 20% of households across Europe experience catastrophic health spending – costs driven mainly by out-of-pocket payments for medicines – restricting people from paying for other basic needs such ...

WHO: Up to 1 in 5 households in Europe experience “catastrophic spending” because of high #healthcare costs.

“No one should have to choose between paying for life-saving #medicines and meeting basic needs like food and housing.”

Dr Hans Kluge of @who.int Europe

www.who.int/europe/news-...

The EPP's (draft) legislative wish list for the next 12 months w/ @ziaweise.bsky.social for Politico Pros 🎄🎁
pro.politico.eu/news/190693