Huawei Lobbying Scandal Sparks EU Corruption Investigations

Belgian police launched a significant investigation into corruption within the European Parliament, reportedly linked to lobbying efforts by Chinese tech giant Huawei. The raid led to several detentions and searches aimed at uncovering bribery involved in the lobbying process.

Belgian police have recently carried out extensive raids across multiple locations in the country, targeting alleged corruption tied to the European Parliament. Authorities revealed that the investigation focuses on activities described as "commercial lobbying" where several individuals were taken in for questioning. Notably, the probe has connections to Chinese technology firm Huawei, which has been active in Brussels since 2021.

As detailed by prosecutor officials, the corruption in question involved deceptive practices from 2021 to the present. They have accused participants of engaging in various forms of bribery, such as compensating individuals for political roles, providing extravagant gifts including food and travel perks, and consistently inviting officials to sports events like football matches. Belgian newspaper Le Soir has reported that several lobbyists suspected of affiliation with Huawei have already been detained on charges of bribing current or former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to advocate for the company's commercial interests.

According to a police source who communicated with AFP, none of the MEPs were among those arrested during the series of raids conducted on Thursday. In total, 21 locations were searched across Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The ongoing investigation encompasses not only “active corruption within the European Parliament” but also extends to allegations of forgery and the use of counterfeit documents, all within the operations of a purported "criminal organization." The prosecutor's office is also scrutinizing potential money laundering activities associated with these cases.