The European Parliament and the European Commission have banned Huawei lobbyists amid an escalating corruption scandal. The scandal involves bribery and money laundering allegations linked to the Chinese tech giant’s lobbying activities in Brussels.
European Parliament blocks Huawei lobbying access as EU bans Huawei
A spokesperson for the European Parliament confirmed on Friday that all Huawei representatives have been blacklisted from EU premises as a precautionary measure. The suspension will remain in effect until authorities conclude their investigation, an official told the media.
The ban affects all Huawei-registered lobbyists, preventing them from entering the Parliament’s premises in Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and liaison offices across EU member states. The EU bans Huawei lobbyists in response to the scandal.
European Commission suspends Huawei meetings
In a parallel move, the European Commission has ordered all directorates-general and Commissioners’ offices to suspend meetings and communications with Huawei until further notice, said transparency spokesperson Olof Gill.
Huawei tied to corruption investigation
Belgian federal prosecutors confirmed that Huawei is at the centre of an ongoing EU corruption probe, with preliminary charges of active corruption, forgery of documents, and money laundering related to lobbying at the European Parliament.
The company had nine lobbyists registered with EU institutions as per its last update in the EU Transparency Register in October.
Raids and arrests as investigation expands
Authorities have intensified their probe, sealing two parliamentary assistants’ offices and raiding 21 locations across Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia, and Portugal. Several individuals have been arrested, prosecutors confirmed. The raids follow after EU bans Huawei.
Huawei responds to ban
Huawei has yet to comment on the latest EU blacklist. However, in an earlier statement, a company spokesperson said the firm “takes these allegations seriously and will urgently communicate with the investigation to further understand the situation.”
