TECH

HUAWGATE: European Parliament corruption scandal involves Huawei

The European Parliament is at the centre of a corruption scandal involving Chinese tech giant Huawei. In a surprising turn of events, five people have been charged in a case of alleged bribery, casting a shadow over the integrity of the institution and raising questions about the influence of foreign companies in European politics.

According to the Belgian prosecutor’s office, authorities suspect significant involvement of several individuals in a corruption scheme that allegedly began in 2021. The charges suggest that the scheme was carried out “very discreetly”, escaping detection for several years.

On Monday, dozens of police officers carried out searches in Belgium and Portugal in a coordinated operation to investigate and identify the real culprits behind this case. As a result of these searches, four people were arrested and charged with active corruption in a criminal organisation, while a fifth person was charged with money laundering.

A Belgian magistrate ordered the preventive detention of four of the suspects, while the fifth was released under certain conditions. The authorities did not reveal the identities of the accused, maintaining a high level of confidentiality around the case.

In response to these revelations, the European Parliament took immediate action, suspending access to its premises to several representatives linked to Huawei. This decision was described as a precautionary measure, while the investigation continues.

Huawei, for its part, has vehemently denied any involvement in illicit activities. In an official statement, the company said:

“Huawei has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption or any other wrongdoing, and is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times.”

This statement comes at a time when the company is facing increasing scrutiny not only in Europe, but also in other parts of the world, due to national security concerns.

Implications for European technology policy...This case sheds new light on the complex relationships between big technology companies and European political institutions. The alleged attempt to influence decisions through bribery raises serious questions about the integrity of legislative processes, especially in critical areas such as technology regulation and cybersecurity.

As the investigation progresses, we are likely to see renewed debate about the need for greater transparency and tighter controls on interactions between corporate lobbyists and policymakers. This scandal could also lead to a reassessment of European policies towards non-European technology companies, particularly those with links to foreign governments.

For European citizens, this case serves as a reminder of the importance of constant vigilance and the need for strong and accountable democratic institutions. As more details come to light, it will be crucial that authorities act decisively to restore public trust and ensure that such ethical breaches are not repeated in the future.

Five indictments...Five people have been charged with active corruption or money laundering as part of the investigation targeting Chinese company Huawei, on suspicion of corruption in the European Parliament, the Belgian federal prosecutor's office announced on Tuesday.

"The examining magistrate has so far charged four people with active corruption and criminal organisation. A fifth person has been charged with money laundering. The four people have been remanded in custody and the fifth has been conditionally released," the Belgian public prosecutor's office said.

As part of this investigation, new searches were carried out on Monday at the European Parliament's premises in Brussels, Belgian judicial authorities said.

A first wave of searches took place on March 13 in Belgium and Portugal. One person was also arrested in France, the Portuguese consultant and lobbyist registered with the European Parliament Nuno Wahnon Martins. According to information gathered by DN, Wahnon Martins was one of the “targets” of the searches that the Belgian authorities carried out in Portugal with the collaboration of the Judicial Police as part of an investigation into suspicions of corruption by the Chinese company Huawei against members of the European Parliament.

Investigators are targeting lobbyists working for Huawei and parliamentary assistants suspected of having transmitted requests for intervention to MEPs.

According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, bribes have been practiced "regularly and very discreetly" since 2021, "disguised as commercial lobbying" and taking various forms, such as remuneration for political positions or "excessive gifts", food and travel expenses, or regular invitations to football matches.

The company responded by saying it had a "zero tolerance" policy towards corruption.

"Huawei takes these allegations seriously and will urgently communicate with investigators to better understand the situation," a company spokesperson said, quoted by the Agence France-Presse news agency.

This is the second time in less than three years that the European Parliament, the only elected institution of the European Union (EU), has been hit by a corruption scandal.

As part of the 'Qatargate' case, Belgian justice has been investigating events involving several former socialist MEPs suspected of having been corrupted by two foreign powers, Qatar and Morocco, since 2022.

mundophone