The Radio Spectrum Policy Group’s (RSPG) Nov. 12 opinion on the upper 6-GHz band is framed as a long-term strategic vision for Europe’s digital future. But its practical effect is far less ambitious: it grants mobile operators a cost-free reservation of one of Europe’s most valuable spectrum resources, without deployment obligations, market evidence or a realistic plan for implementation. > At a moment when Europe is struggling to accelerate the deployment of digital > infrastructure and close the gap with global competitors, this decision > amounts to a strategic pause dressed up as policy foresight. The opinion even invites the mobile industry to develop products for the upper 6-GHz band, when policy should be guided by actual market demand and product deployment, not the other way around. At a moment when Europe is struggling to accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure and close the gap with global competitors, this decision amounts to a strategic pause dressed up as policy foresight. The cost of inaction is real. Around the world, advanced 6-GHz Wi-Fi is already delivering high-capacity, low-latency connectivity. The United States, Canada, South Korea and others have opened the 6-GHz band for telemedicine, automated manufacturing, immersive education, robotics and a multitude of other high-performance Wi-Fi connectivity use cases. These are not experimental concepts; they are operational deployments generating tangible socioeconomic value. Holding the upper 6- GHz band in reserve delays these benefits at a time when Europe is seeking to strengthen competitiveness, digital inclusion, and digital sovereignty. The opinion introduces another challenge by calling for “flexibility” for member states. In practice, this means regulatory fragmentation across 27 markets, reopening the door to divergent national spectrum policies — precisely the outcome Europe has spent two decades trying to avert with the Digital Single Market. > Without a credible roadmap, reserving the band for hypothetical cellular > networks only exacerbates policy uncertainty without delivering progress. Equally significant is what the opinion does not address. The upper 6-GHz band is already home to ‘incumbents’: fixed links and satellite services that support public safety, government operations and industrial connectivity. Any meaningful mobile deployment would require refarming these incumbents — a technically complex, politically sensitive and financially burdensome process. To date, no member state has proposed a viable plan for how such relocation would proceed, how much it would cost or who would pay. Without a credible roadmap, reserving the band for hypothetical cellular networks only exacerbates policy uncertainty without delivering progress. There is, however, a pragmatic alternative. The European Commission and the member states committed to advancing Europe’s connectivity can allow controlled Wi-Fi access to the upper 6-GHz band now — bringing immediate benefits for citizens and enterprises — while establishing clear, evidence-based criteria for any future cellular deployments. Those criteria should include demonstrated commercial viability, validated coexistence with incumbents, and fully funded relocation plans where necessary. This approach preserves long-term policy flexibility for member states and mobile operators, while ensuring that spectrum delivers measurable value today rather than being held indefinitely in reserve. > Spectrum is not an abstract asset. RSPG itself calls it a scarce resource that > must be used efficiently, but this opinion falls short of that principle. Spectrum is not an abstract asset. RSPG itself calls it a scarce resource that must be used efficiently, but this opinion falls short of that principle. Spectrum underpins Europe’s competitiveness, connectivity, and digital innovation. But its value is unlocked through use, not by shelving it in anticipation that hypothetical future markets might someday justify withholding action now. To remain competitive in the next decade, Europe needs a 6-GHz policy grounded in evidence, aligned with the single market, and focused on real-world impact. The upper 6-GHz band should be a driver of European innovation, not the latest casualty of strategic hesitation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT * The sponsor is Wi-Fi Alliance * The ultimate controlling entity is Wi-Fi Alliance More information here.

BRUSSELS — One of Huawei’s most senior executives in Europe is a suspect in the Belgian investigation into alleged corruption at the European Parliament benefitting the Chinese technology company, POLITICO can reveal.  The senior executive was represented in a Belgian court on Tuesday, documents relating to the hearing showed. He is charged with “active corruption of a person holding a public office, criminal organization and money laundering,” said one of the documents, which were disclosed as part of the preparation of a hearing at Brussels’ Chamber of Accusation.  The senior executive is listed as a vice president for the Europe region at Huawei and previously held a position as chief representative to the European Union leading the firm’s public affairs office in Brussels. He can only be identified as Yong J. Tuesday’s hearing, held behind closed doors, was part of proceedings where defense teams engage with senior judges to discuss procedural matters, including potential custody decisions.  The senior executive could not be reached for comment and his lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Huawei spokesperson also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  The charges followed a series of police raids of premises in Belgium and Portugal, including Huawei’s Brussels lobbying headquarters and several European Parliament offices. | Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images Belgian investigators are probing whether illegal payments were made to secure political backing for an open letter supporting the Chinese company’s interests and signed off by eight members of the European Parliament, according to an arrest warrant seen by POLITICO.  The Belgian prosecutor said Friday it had charged eight people. The charges followed a series of police raids of premises in Belgium and Portugal, including Huawei’s Brussels lobbying headquarters and several European Parliament offices. Aside from Yong J., three other Huawei employees were among the suspects in the corruption probe who first faced Belgian judges last week as part of procedural hearings, including a lobbyist and a senior executive for the firm, who can only be described as Valerio O. and Han W. They are also facing charges related to corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.  All suspects are presumed innocent.  Huawei fired two employees and suspended a third for their alleged involvement in the bribery investigation, a spokesperson said Monday. The spokesperson did not disclose the identities or roles of the employees affected. It is unclear whether the employees fired and suspended by Huawei are the same as the Huawei officials who were preliminarily charged. Huawei said in a previous statement: “The company maintains a zero-tolerance stance against corruption. As always, we are fully committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations.”  Mathieu Pollet contributed reporting.

BRUSSELS — Huawei has fired two employees and suspended a third for their alleged involvement in a bribery investigation surrounding the Chinese technology giant and the European Parliament, POLITICO has learned. The firm “terminated the employment of two individuals” from April 1 and suspended a third from April 2, a spokesperson for Huawei said in a statement. “We take the ongoing investigation seriously,” the spokesperson added. The spokesperson did not disclose the identities or roles of the employees affected by the measures. A lobbyist, a senior executive and a procurement manager with Huawei were among the suspects in the corruption probe who first faced Belgian judges last week as part of procedural hearings. The officials were preliminary charged with corruption, participation in a criminal organization and money laundering. They are presumed innocent. It is unclear if the three employees fired and suspended by Huawei are the same as the Huawei officials who were preliminary charged. “The company maintains a zero-tolerance stance against corruption. As always, we are fully committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations,” the Huawei spokesperson said. The Belgian prosecutor said Friday it charged eight people in total, three weeks after police raided addresses in Belgium and Portugal, including Huawei’s Brussels lobbying office. Investigators are probing whether illegal payments were made to secure political backing for an open letter supporting the Chinese company’s interest and signed off by eight members of the European Parliament. Out of the eight suspects, three are now under electronic surveillance, two were released “under conditions,” and three remain in prison, according to the statement from the prosecutor.

BRUSSELS — Three Huawei employees and a managing director from Brussels conference organizer Forum Europe appeared in court this week for hearings related to the corruption investigation into the Chinese tech giant’s lobbying in Europe. Police raided more than 20 locations in Belgium and Portugal last month within an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by Huawei to secure an open letter signed by eight European lawmakers in support of the company’s interests, according to the Belgian prosecutor and an arrest warrant seen by POLITICO. Five people were charged as part of the investigation, prosecutors said on March 18. In the first session, the parties met for a 15 minutes behind closed doors at Brussels’ Chamber of Accusation, an appeals court where defense teams discuss ongoing investigations with senior Belgian judges regarding procedural decisions such as whether individuals should be released from custody. A second session, on Wednesday, lasted for more than two hours. According to a court timetable available on site at the Brussels Palace of Justice, the suspects include a lobbyist from Huawei as well as a senior executive and a procurement manager of the Chinese tech firm. The higher profile Huawei employees can be named as Han W. and Valerio O. All are suspected of corruption, participation in a criminal organization and money laundering. They are presumed innocent. Two other defendants are contractors, including one from Forum Europe who is charged with “active corruption of a person holding a public office in an organization governed by public international law,” according to the timetable. Forum Europe said in an email: “We do not have any comment at this time.” The arrest warrant, which POLITICO reported on last week, included details from Belgian prosecutors alleging the key suspects may have facilitated the payments for the pro-Huawei letter. “A sum of €15,000 was offered to the writer of the 5G letter, while each co-signatory was offered €1,500,” read the warrant, signed by the investigative judge. “This transaction or proposed transaction is said to have been endorsed by HUAWEI’s Chinese executives, in particular by …. [the] director of the Brussels office,” it also said. The warrant also described how the former adviser allegedly arranged for the payments via invoices that investigators suspect might be for “alleged consultancy services and campaign expenses, in the amounts of  €18,450 and €27,500.” Huawei said in an earlier statement that it “takes these allegations seriously” and “has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption or other wrongdoing.” The Chinese Embassy in Belgium told POLITICO in a statement that “the Chinese side is in communication with relevant authorities of the Belgian government” and that the “Chinese government always requires Chinese companies [to] strictly observe laws and regulations of the host countries.” Two other people — one former and one current parliamentary assistant to conservative Italian lawmaker Fulvio Martusciello — were arrested in France and Italy as part of the probe, bringing the total number of suspects to at least seven. They both denied any involvement and accepted being extradited.

Police authorities searched two offices belonging to several European Parliament political assistants in Strasbourg, two officials with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO. Police had previously sealed the offices on March 13, the same day that authorities raided more than 20 addresses in Belgium and Portugal as part of an investigation into corruption at the Parliament allegedly benefiting Huawei. Those offices have now been searched, the officials confirmed Thursday. One of the officials confirmed the search in Strasbourg was part of the investigation into Huawei’s lobbying practices. Parliament members and their assistants have offices at the institution’s premises in Brussels, where regular parliamentary activity takes place, as well as at the institution’s official seat in Strasbourg, France, where it holds its plenary sessions. Two offices in Brussels were already sealed and searched earlier this month and were handed back to their tenants. Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether Huawei made illegal payments to get an open letter written, signed by eight European parliamentarians, which defended the Chinese tech giant’s interests, according to judicial documents seen by POLITICO. Four people have been charged with corruption and criminal organization and one with money laundering, the Belgian prosecutor’s office said. One parliamentary assistant to Italian center-right MEP Fulvio Martusciello was arrested in Italy on March 20. The assistant in question has been suspended from employment by the Parliament, according to the institution’s press services. Martusciello’s office in 2021 led the effort to promote the letter that is under investigation. A spokesperson for Huawei said in a previous statement that the company “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.”

BRUSSELS — Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether Huawei made illegal payments to get an open letter written, signed by eight European parliamentarians, which defended the Chinese tech giant’s interests, according to judicial documents seen by POLITICO. Belgian authorities this month raided 21 homes as part of a spiraling probe into “active corruption in the European Parliament” that “benefitted Huawei.” Investigators are looking into “excessive gifts” or “remuneration for taking political positions” that took place “from 2021 to the present day,” the prosecutors said. In a second major test of accountability for the European Parliament after the Qatargate scandal of 2022, four people have been charged with corruption and criminal organization and one with money laundering, the Belgian prosecutor’s office said last week. According to an arrest warrant seen by POLITICO, first reported on by Italian daily La Repubblica, a key part of the investigation hinges on a letter sent by eight MEPs in February 2021 to three EU commissioners, in which they argue geopolitical tensions should not hinder the development of 5G equipment in Europe. That letter, although it does not mention Huawei by name, is seen as promoting the Chinese company’s interests because it came as several EU governments were rolling out measures that sought to limit telecom operators’ use of Chinese equipment, arguing Beijing posed risks because of espionage, surveillance and potential economic dependency. Conservative Italian lawmaker Fulvio Martusciello, one of the signatories, posted the pro-Huawei letter on X on Feb. 15, 2021, but later deleted it. His former parliamentary adviser and his assistant have now both been arrested in relation to the Huawei probe, according to their lawyers. The assistant’s contract has now been suspended. CASH FOR A LETTER The arrest warrant for Martusciello’s assistant includes details from the Belgian prosecutors laying out the heart of the case, in which both she and his former adviser are alleged to have helped arrange payments for the letter, referred to as the “5G” letter in the judicial documents. The description of the Belgian probe, as provided by the investigative judge in charge of the case, says: “A sum of €15,000 was offered to the writer of the 5G letter, while each co-signatory was offered €1,500.” “This transaction or proposed transaction is said to have been endorsed by HUAWEI’s Chinese executives, in particular by …. [the] director of the Brussels office,” the document also reads. The director can only be identified as Abraham L. Moving on to bank details of what it describes as “suspicious payments,” the document sets out how the former adviser allegedly arranged for the payments via invoices “in consideration of alleged consultancy services and campaign expenses, in the amounts of  €18,450 and €27,500.” “Assuming the facts are established, these amounts would represent the alleged compensation for the above-mentioned letter drafted by eight MEPs for the attention of three European Commissioners in favor of HUAWEI,” the document continues. “The investigation has brought to light the financial circuit of remunerations which would demonstrate the corruptive process.” As part of a series of bank transfers, the former adviser wired €6,700 to Martusciello, €1,000 to his assistant, and €14,800 to another parliamentary assistant, the warrant says. Several account holders that received payments remain unknown. Conservative Italian lawmaker Fulvio Martusciello, one of the signatories, posted the pro-Huawei letter on X on Feb. 15, 2021, but later deleted it. | Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images When contacted by POLITICO, Belgian prosecutors declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. Martusciello did not respond to requests for comment about the bank transfers. Asked about Abraham L.’s alleged involvement in a bribery scheme, Huawei did not respond to a request for comment. A company spokesperson said in an earlier statement: “Huawei takes these allegations seriously and will urgently communicate with the investigation to further 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.” ARRESTS AND ALLEGATIONS Martusciello’s current assistant was arrested in Italy last week as part of the Huawei probe. She “was not involved in the political activities of Mr Martusciello, she only dealt with logistics,” her lawyer Antimo Giaccio told POLITICO, adding she “was very rarely at the European Parliament … about 10 times.” Before an Italian judge on Tuesday, she rejected all the preliminary charges against her but said she stood ready to answer “any questions from the Belgian authorities,” her lawyer added. The former parliamentary adviser for Martusciello, who worked for him between 2015 and 2019, was also arrested in Paris last Thursday as part of the Huawei probe, his lawyer Benoît Martinez told POLITICO. “My client intends to fully cooperate with the Belgian authorities. He denies any involvement with the charges he’s suspected of,” he added. He declined to comment further on the charges related to his client. The Belgian secret services, which filed a declassified report that triggered the investigation, found digital evidence that the former adviser could have been involved in the drafting of the 2021 letter with one of Huawei’s lobbyists, who can only be identified as Valerio O., the arrest warrant says. Valerio O.’s lawyer Denis Bosquet declined to comment. The investigators say the transfers can also “be linked to the drafting by MEP Fulvio Martusciello of legislative amendments favorable to Huawei,” and to a communication in which Valerio O. tells an employee of Huawei in Poland “that they [Huawei] ‘often cross the line and even pay for amendments.'” The same month as promoting the letter, February 2021, Martusciello submitted amendments to a European parliamentary report that would favor Huawei’s position in Europe. Martusciello did not reply to multiple requests for comment about the letter, but told POLITICO he didn’t know the charges against his assistant. He told Belgian newspaper Le Soir that he had never received anything from Huawei. “I’ve never been to China, I’ve never been to the stadium, I’ve never received a cell phone or any other gift,” he said. NGO Transparency International received an anonymous tip in connection to the 2021 letter and forwarded the tip to the EU’s OLAF anti-fraud office, it said. The then-director of the civil rights group Michiel van Hulten this month posted on Bluesky that OLAF had dismissed the claims because of “insufficient suspicions” of wrongdoing. A spokesperson for OLAF confirmed it did not investigate the matter.  KEEPING A DISTANCE It remains unclear whether any of the co-signatories of the 2021 letter are being investigated by Belgian authorities as part of the Huawei corruption probe, but several of those current and former members of the European Parliament are now taking pains to distance themselves from it. POLITICO asked all of them about their involvement. Those who responded said they had not been contacted by authorities with regard to the letter. The same month as promoting the letter, February 2021, Martusciello submitted amendments to a European parliamentary report that would favor Huawei’s position in Europe. | Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Italian conservative lawmaker Herbert Dorfmann insisted the text was Martusciello’s idea and said he would not have signed the letter had he known it was related to the Chinese firm. “I have always been politically in favor of keeping Huawei out of the European market,” he told POLITICO. He added neither he nor his team were offered money “or any other form of compensation in exchange for [his] signature.” Former MEP Cristian-Silviu Bușoi, a Romanian conservative, stated he never consented to signing. “I looked through my official email and found no correspondence regarding this letter,” he said in a written statement. “I also do not recall giving verbal consent to Mr Martusciello, as is sometimes customary when colleagues seek support for their initiatives,” he also said, adding that neither he or his staff received any compensation nor were aware of any scheme related to the signature of the letter. Aldo Patriciello, a far-right Italian MEP, said in an email: “I honestly struggle to remember whether the request for my signature came via email, phone call or WhatsApp.” He added that he had no direct or indirect relationship with Huawei or its lobbyists. Romanian conservative Daniel Buda, also a signatory, attributed his involvement to his team, stating he was informed through a briefing prepared by his office staff. “My support was solely driven by concerns about rural digital infrastructure, not influenced by external parties,” he said in an email. He added he had not been contacted by any investigative authority regarding the letter and that neither he or his team received any money in exchange for his signature. “I had no knowledge — neither then nor now — that behind this letter or activity there could be such a scheme,” he told POLITICO in a written statement. Former Italian social-democrat member Giuseppe Ferrandino said: “I am certain I never signed any letters of such kind” and added he had never been contacted by any authorities regarding this topic. “Nobody ever offered me money to influence my parliamentary activity,” he added. Other signatories included hard-right Italian lawmaker Giuseppe Milazzo and former Romanian social-democrat member Tudor Ciuhodaru, neither of whom responded to POLITICO’s requests for comment. Milazzo told Italian news agency ANSA that he had never had meetings related to the investigation into the Huawei case: “I have never been offered and I have never accepted any money, gifts or any kind of favor, directly or indirectly, from [Huawei],” he said. According to conversations with three former Huawei officials, the 2021 letter posted by Martusciello was meant to counter another open letter from October 2020 in which over 40 lawmakers urged the European Commission to impose stricter controls over the use of Chinese equipment in Europe.  In a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Wednesday, 28 members of the chamber urged the institution to “temporarily set aside any MEPs, credibly suspected of involvement, from any parliamentary activity relating to Chinese interests.”  Aitor Hernández-Morales and Paula Andrés Richart contributed reporting.

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s lobbying scene is rushing to review its ties with Chinese tech company Huawei in the wake of a corruption scandal.  European technology association DigitalEurope on Thursday suspended Huawei from its work after Belgian prosecutors last week launched an investigation into “active corruption” at the European Parliament benefitting the Chinese tech giant. The powerful industry group BusinessEurope also removed Huawei from its list of partner companies. Other EU lobby groups and think tanks that have Huawei as a member or received contributions from the company are considering steps too, they told POLITICO. The European Parliament and European Commission already blacklisted Huawei lobbyists last week, shutting off their access to EU premises, and commissioner cabinets and officials working at the EU executive’s directorates general were instructed “to immediately suspend contacts and meetings” with Huawei “until further notice.” It’s a sign of how Huawei — which is among the top spenders of lobbying money in Brussels according to the EU’s transparency register — is suffering major blows after Belgian police raided its main lobbying office in Brussels as part of a larger investigation into corruption, criminal organization and money laundering at the European Parliament.  DigitalEurope is one of Brussels’ most powerful technology lobbying voices. It gathers tech companies and national industry associations to influence European Union decision making. The lobby group said in a statement it was aware of the “serious allegations” against Huawei. “We take ethical business conduct and compliance with the law very seriously. As a precautionary measure, Huawei’s membership has been suspended until further notice,” the statement read.  BusinessEurope is a lobbying heavyweight in Brussels, with a membership composed of national trade associations and representing the interests of industrial heavyweights across all sectors. It has a group of “partner companies” that includes the world’s largest companies. The Internet Archive search tool showed Huawei was still listed as a partner on March 1 but had been removed by March 18, days after the corruption scandal broke. Huawei is also a member of, or has contributed to, several other lobby groups, trade associations and think tanks, according to the EU’s transparency register that lists declarations from organizations looking to lobby the EU’s work. Those groups and associations are now all closely monitoring how the case unfolds or gearing up to take action.  The European Internet Forum, a non-profit led by European Parliament members, lists Huawei as a business member. Communications Manager Eusebiu Croitoru said the organization has scheduled a discussion about the investigation and “potential implications for Huawei’s membership,” which will take place April 9. The financial and ethical committee of the European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO) will “soon analyze the situation and possible next steps.” Think tank Bruegel said it is “closely monitoring the situation.” And the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE) has kept the situation “under close review.” Several of the lobby groups or think tanks contacted by POLITICO said Huawei’s input to their organization or involvement in policy activities was small.  Huawei’s access to sensitive working groups at DigitalEurope was already limited following the security concerns raised over the Chinese tech giant in past years. The company’s contribution to CERRE was “clearly below” 10 percent of the think tank’s budget, it said.  Telecoms lobby group ECTA said that Huawei paid a discounted membership fee and assessed the involvement of Huawei in its activities as “limited,” but added it is “closely monitoring the situation.”  ECSO also said that Huawei had “limited rights” as an associate member. Eurelectric said Huawei is a “business associate,” which means the company is not involved in any policy work, but it added that it is following the reports “closely.” Elisa Braun and Mathieu Pollet contributed reporting.

European technology lobby group DigitalEurope has suspended Huawei after Belgian prosecutors launched an investigation into the Chinese tech giant over suspected corruption. In a statement on Thursday, the lobby group said it was aware of the “serious allegations” against Huawei. “We take ethical business conduct and compliance with the law very seriously. As a precautionary measure, Huawei’s membership has been suspended until further notice,” DigitalEurope’s statement said. The lobby group, which gathers technology firms and national tech associations to influence European Union decision making, added the company’s access to sensitive working groups was already limited. The suspension comes after Belgian police raided Huawei’s main lobbying office in Brussels, searched European Parliament offices and raided more than 20 locations in Belgium and Portugal. Investigators are probing allegations of “active corruption within the European Parliament,” Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said last Thursday, later adding that “the alleged bribery is said to have benefited Huawei.” Four people were charged on Tuesday on counts of corruption and criminal organization. A fifth person was charged with money laundering and released under conditions.

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s center of power is reeling from a fresh corruption scandal involving Chinese technology giant Huawei and the European Parliament. Investigators are probing allegations of “active corruption within the European Parliament,” Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said Thursday, later adding that “the alleged bribery is said to have benefited Huawei.” The case has echoes of the 2022 Qatargate corruption scandal, which saw several members of the legislature arrested and investigated. It breathes new life into longstanding concerns over shady lobbying practices in Brussels — this time with a controversial Chinese tech firm at the center of the affair. Dutch investigative news outlet Follow The Money and Belgian publications Le Soir and Knack were the first to report on the news. Here’s what we know about the case so far, based on information from Belgian federal public prosecutors and conversations with more than two dozen EU and industry officials impacted by the scandal: WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS? The new investigation zones in on Huawei, the Chinese technology giant that was once a lobbying powerhouse in Europe, as well as on the Parliament. Incidents that are being investigated include “remuneration for taking political positions, excessive gifts like food and travel expenses and regular invitations to football matches … with a view to promoting purely private commercial interests in the context of political decisions,” Belgian prosecutors said in a statement. They said the alleged misconduct took place “regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day.” Police raided 21 addresses in Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia and in Portugal and arrested several people. According to Follow The Money, Le Soir and Knack, investigators are looking into activities linked to 15 former and current MEPs. The publications said one senior lobbyist from Huawei in Brussels was a key suspect. POLITICO has not independently verified the information. Two people working in the building of Huawei’s main lobbying office for the European Union in Brussels told POLITICO they had seen police officers enter on Thursday morning and added they were still on the premises at noon. Police officers later left Huawei’s Brussels offices carrying four boxes with documents and various seized materials. * Huawei bribery scandal rocks European Parliament The European Union’s center of power is reeling from a fresh corruption scandal involving Chinese technology giant Huawei and the European Parliament. | Hatim Kaghat/Getty Images WHAT HAS HUAWEI SAID? The company on Thursday scrambled to respond to the development. A spokesperson said in a statement: “Huawei takes these allegations seriously and will urgently communicate with the investigation to further 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.” WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE PARLIAMENT? The prosecutor’s office announced on Thursday afternoon it had “requested that seals be affixed to the premises of the European Parliament, more specifically to the offices allocated to two parliamentary assistants allegedly involved.” One door to offices that are part of the Italian delegation in the European People’s Party (EPP) was later marked with signs declaring “SCELLES JUDICIAIRES” and “Absolutely forbidden to open this door,” and sealed with blue and white police tape. The second sealed office, part of the Bulgarian delegation in the Renew Europe group, belonged to Adam Mouchtar, a long-time official and current assistant to newly elected MEP Nikola Minchev. Mouchtar was also co-founder of a group called EU40 that had as its president Greek politician Eva Kaili — a key figure in the Qatargate corruption probe. Mouchtar confirmed to POLITICO that his office had been sealed but denied any wrongdoing. His boss, Minchev, announced on Friday he had suspended Mouchtar from his duties.  The other sealed office did not have the customary name tags at the door. Parliamentary records indicated that the office belonged to the assistants of long-time Italian conservative MEP Fulvio Martusciello and his party peer Marco Falcone. It is unclear which of the assistants and MEPs would be impacted by the investigation. Contacted, Martusciello said the office sealed “is not mine” but declined to provide more information, including whether it belonged to any of his assistants. Falcone and his assistants did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment. Falcone told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “Neither of my two assistants is involved nor the intern who arrived 15 days ago. We have never had contact with Huawei and our parliamentary activity in these nine months [since the start of the term] has never involved this sector.” HOW DOES HUAWEI LOBBY IN BRUSSELS? Throughout most of the 2010s, Huawei poured millions of euros into lobbyists and PR campaigns in Europe and was considered a friendly face cuddling up to power.  The company threw lavish parties in glamorous venues featuring fancy buffets and dance performances — like its reception celebrating the Chinese new year at the Concert Noble in Brussels — and was known for thanking contacts with generous gift bags, some including a Huawei phone.  From 2019 onward, the stakes increased. The company tried to stave off a push to reduce the reliance of Western countries on its 5G equipment over security and espionage concerns.  The company tried to stave off a push to reduce the reliance of Western countries on its 5G equipment over security and espionage concerns. | Nicolas Guyonnet and Hans Lucas/Getty Images To navigate the geopolitical storm, the firm offered six-figure salaries to former Western journalists and politicians with direct lines to places of power like the Elysée and Westminster. In the past two years Huawei has lost much of its clout in Brussels, as the mood against Chinese tech firms turned and European governments aligned on taking a more cautious approach to using Huawei’s 5G equipment in their networks. At the EU level, the European Commission in 2023 announced moves to block it and ZTE from EU research funding and to stop contracting operators using Chinese equipment. The firm’s Brussels office also saw departures by lobbyists and communications officials. * How Washington chased Huawei out of Europe According to EU transparency register data, Huawei Technologies spent between €2 million and €2.25 million on EU lobbying in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — a lot, but still below its lobbying costs in preceding years, which were estimated at around €3 million in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Huawei in October declared it had 11 full-time EU lobbyists, nine of whom were accredited to access the European Parliament. At its peak it declared 21. Huawei also listed as intermediaries Acento Public Affairs, Hill & Knowlton International Belgium, and MUST & Partners. Acento and Alber & Geiger also served as Huawei’s intermediaries the year before, with Huawei declaring representation costs of €200,000 and €600,000, respectively. HAS HUAWEI FACED INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE? Huawei has been embroiled in scandals and investigations in several countries across the globe, including in France, where it faced a case involving a former minister and member of the European Parliament, Le Soir wrote last week.  The Parliament is no stranger to Huawei’s troubles with authorities. In May 2023 Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a letter seen by POLITICO that the house’s safety department had contacted the Belgian authorities to acquire information “with regard to potential threats posed by Huawei’s activities in Belgium and, in particular, the risks for the European Parliament.”  She was answering a warning sent by two MEPs that followed POLITICO’s reporting on an investigation of Huawei by the Belgian intelligence services within wider efforts to shed light on China’s influence operations in Europe by non-state actors. The lawmakers said those operations were “particularly concerning in the context of the Qatargate scandal.” Belgium’s intelligence service had requested interviews with former employees of the company’s lobbying operation, POLITICO reported. The intelligence gathering was part of activities by security officials to scrutinize how China may be using non-state actors — including senior lobbyists in Huawei’s Brussels office — to advance the interests of the Chinese state and its Communist party around the EU and NATO headquarters in Brussels.  * Belgian intelligence puts Huawei on its watchlist Belgium’s federal public prosecutors clarified last week that their investigation was looking at corruption “with a view to promoting purely private commercial interests in the context of political decisions” — which would suggest the Chinese government was not involved. HOW ARE THE EU INSTITUTIONS REACTING? Both the Parliament and the Commission on Friday banned Huawei lobbyists from entering their premises. The ban would affect Huawei’s lobbyists signed up to the EU transparency register.  The Parliament is no stranger to Huawei’s troubles with authorities. | Stringer/Getty Images The Parliament’s ban applies to all premises in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg and to the liaison offices the institution holds across EU countries. The Commission announced they would instruct commissioners’ cabinets and all the departments (directorates-general) “to immediately suspend contacts and meetings with Huawei until further notice,” spokesperson for transparency Olof Gill said. * Huawei banned from Parliament and Commission over bribery probe Parliamentarians were quick to call for reforms to increase transparency at the institution.  A block of right-wing lawmakers — including from the political group of Parliament President Roberta Metsola — have held back the creation of a common ethics body that would set up common ethical standards across EU institutions. The new scandal is now prompting factions in favor of the body to speak up. “These developments highlight the critical need for robust oversight and accountability,” said Victor Negrescu, the Parliament’s vice president for transparency and anti-corruption and a Romanian social-democrat member. Dutch liberal member Bart Groothuis said the institution had to “demonstrate we have learned from Qatargate … so no ifs or buts, but clear and forceful measures should be taken.” Nicholas Aiossa, director at Transparency International’s office in Brussels, said “if MEPs want to protect the integrity of the Parliament, they need to bring about swift, wide-ranging and substantial ethics reform.” * Huawei bribery scandal reignites anti-corruption fight in EU Metsola has so far not commented on the scandal in a public statement. Elisa Braun, Max Griera, Hanne Cokelaere, Antoaneta Roussi, Mathieu Pollet, Aitor Hernández-Morales, Sarah Wheaton, Clea Caulcutt and Laurens Cerulus contributed reporting.

The European Parliament on Friday banned Huawei lobbyists from entering its premises, following allegations of bribery linked to the Chinese technology giant’s lobbying activities in Brussels. A Parliament official told POLITICO the ban is temporary and would be in place at least until the authorities conclude their investigation. The firm is at the heart of a new corruption scandal that involves “preliminary charges of active corruption, forgery of documents, money laundering” at the European Parliament, Belgian federal prosecutors said Thursday. Huawei had nine people registered to enter Parliament’s premises when it last updated its entry in the Transparency Register in October. The ban would affect Huawei’s lobbyists registered to enter Parliament’s premises. It applies to all the premises in Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and across the liaison offices the institution holds across EU countries. Police on Thursday sealed two offices belonging to parliamentary assistants. Authorities have raided 21 addresses in Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia and in Portugal, and several people have been arrested, prosecutors said.  A Parliament spokesperson and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Huawei spokesperson did not immediately respond to request for comment, but said in an earlier statement the firm “takes these allegations seriously and will urgently communicate with the investigation to further understand the situation.”  Elisa Braun contributed to the reporting.