Police have arrested several people as part of a corruption probe targeting the European Parliament and Chinese tech company Huawei, Belgian authorities have said.
The suspects, who are alleged to have been involved in “active corruption” within the European Parliament to benefit Huawei, were arrested following searches at 21 premises in Belgium and Portugal, Belgium’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on Thursday.
“The corruption is said to have been practised regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day, under the guise of commercial lobbying and taking various forms, such as remuneration for taking political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Investigators believe the illicit payments may have been “mixed up” in financial flows linked to conference expenses in order to disguise their true purpose, according to prosecutors.
“From this point of view, the investigation also aims to detect any evidence of money laundering, as the case may be,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Following the raids, a judge overseeing the case ordered seals to be placed on the offices of two parliamentary assistants at the EU parliament headquarters in France’s Strasbourg, prosecutors added.
Prosecutors said they could not disclose further details, including the identities of the suspects, out of consideration for the presumption of innocence and the integrity of the investigation.
Huawei said in a statement that it took the allegations seriously and would communicate with authorities to understand the situation.
“Huawei has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption or other wrongdoing, and we are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times,” a spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the EU parliament said it had received a request for cooperation from the Belgian authorities to assist the investigation, which it would “swiftly and fully honour.”
The probe comes less than three years after several EU lawmakers and aides were embroiled in an alleged bribery scandal involving officials from Qatar and Morocco.
Five current and former MEPs – Greece’s Eva Kaili; Italy’s Pier Antonio Panzeri and Andrea Cozzolino; and Belgium’s Marc Tarabella and Marie Arena – have been charged in the case.
Panzeri cut a plea deal with prosecutors in 2023, in which he acknowledged his involvement in corruption.
None of the other four have been convicted.
The Qatari and Moroccan governments have denied any wrongdoing in the case.
