It seems impossible to have a conversation today without artificial intelligence (AI) playing some role, demonstrating the massive power of the technology. It has the potential to impact every part of business, and European policymakers are on board. In February 2025, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said, “We want Europe to be one of the leading AI continents … AI can help us boost our competitiveness, protect our security, shore up public health, and make access to knowledge and information more democratic.” Research from Nokia suggests that businesses share this enthusiasm and ambition: 84 percent of more than 1,000 respondents said AI features in the growth strategy of their organization, while 62 percent are directing at least 20 percent of ICT capex budgets toward the technology. However, the equation is not yet balanced. Three-quarters of survey respondents state that current telecom infrastructure limits the ability to deliver on those ambitions. Meanwhile, 45 percent suggest these limitations would delay, constrain or entirely limit investments. There is clearly a disconnect between the ambition and the ability to deliver. At present, Europe lags the United States and parts of Asia in areas such as network deployment, related investment levels and scale. > If AI does not reach its full potential, EU competitiveness will suffer, > economic growth will have a ceiling, the creation of new jobs will have a > limit and consumers will not see the benefits. What we must remember primarily is that AI does not happen without advanced, trusted and future-proofed networks. Infrastructure is not a ‘nice to have’ it is a fundamental part. Simply put, today’s networks in Europe require more investments to power the AI dream we all have. If AI does not reach its full potential, EU competitiveness will suffer, economic growth will have a ceiling, the creation of new jobs will have a limit and consumers will not see the benefits. When we asked businesses about the challenge of meeting AI demands during our research, the lack of adequate connectivity infrastructure was the fourth common answer out of 15 potential options. Our telecom connectivity regulatory approach must be more closely aligned with the goal of fostering AI. That means progressing toward a genuine telecom single market, adopting a novel approach to competition policy to allow market consolidation to lead to more investments, and ensuring connectivity is always secure and trusted. Supporting more investments in next-generation networks through consolidation AI places heavy demands on networks. It requires low latency, high bandwidth and reliability, and efficient traffic management. To deliver this, Europe needs to accelerate investment in 5G standalone, fiber to enterprises, edge data centers and IP-optical backbone networks optimized for AI. > As industry voices such as Nokia have emphasized, the networks that power AI > must themselves make greater use of automation and AI. Consolidation (i.e. reducing the number of telecom operators within the national telecom markets of EU member states) is part of the solution. Consolidation will allow operators to achieve economies of scale and improve operating efficiency, therefore encouraging investment and catalyzing innovation. As industry voices such as Nokia have emphasized, the networks that power AI must themselves make greater use of automation and AI. Policy support should therefore extend to both network innovation and deployment. Trust: A precondition for AI adoption Intellectual property (IP) theft is a threat to Europe’s industrial future and only trusted technology should be used in core functions, systems and sectors (such as energy, transport and defense). In this context, the underlying connectivity should always be secure and trusted. The 5G Security Toolbox, restricting untrusted technology, should therefore be extended to all telecom technologies (including fiber, optics and IP) and made compulsory in all EU member states. European governments must make protecting their industries and citizens a high priority. Completing the digital single market Although the single market is one of Europe’s defining projects, the reality in telecoms — a key part of the digital single market — is still fragmented. As an example, different spectrum policies create barriers across borders and can limit network roll outs. Levers on top of advanced connectivity To enable the AI ecosystem in Europe, there are several different enabling levers European policymakers should advance on top of fostering advanced and trusted connectivity: * The availability of compute infrastructure. The AI Continent Action Plan, as well as the IPCEI Compute Infrastructure Continuum, and the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should facilitate building AI data centers in Europe.   * Leadership in edge computing. There should also be clear support for securing Europe’s access to and leadership in edge solutions and building out edge capacity. Edge solutions increase processing speeds and are important for enabling AI adoption, while also creating a catalyst for economic growth. With the right data center capacity and edge compute capabilities available, European businesses can meet the new requirements of AI use cases.  * Harmonization of rules. There are currently implications for AI in several policy areas, including the AI Act, GDPR, Data Act, cybersecurity laws and sector-specific regulations. This creates confusion, whereas AI requires clarity. Simplification and harmonization of these regulations should be pursued.  * AI Act implementation and simplification. There are concerns about the implementation of the AI Act. The standards for high-risk AI may not be available before the obligations of the AI act enter into force, hampering business ambitions due to legal uncertainty. The application date of the AI Act’s provisions on high-risk AI should be postponed by two years to align with the development of standards. There needs to be greater clarity on definitions and simplification measures should be pursued across the entire ecosystem. Policies must be simple enough to follow, otherwise adoption may falter. Policy needs to act as an enabler, not a barrier to innovation.  * Upskilling and new skills. AI will require new skills of employees and users, as well as creating entirely new career paths. Europe needs to prepare for this new world.  If Europe can deliver on these priorities, the benefits will be tangible: improved services, stronger industries, increased competitiveness and higher economic growth. AI will deliver to those who best prepare themselves. We must act now with the urgency and consistency that the moment demands. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author biography: Marc Vancoppenolle is leading the geopolitical and government relations EU and Europe function at Nokia. He and his team are working with institutions and stakeholders in Europe to create a favorable political and regulatory environment fostering broadband investments and cross sectoral digitalization at large. Vancoppenolle has over 30 years of experience in the telecommunication industry. He joined Alcatel in 1991, and then Alcatel-Lucent, where he took various international and worldwide technical, commercial, marketing, communication and government affairs leadership roles. Vancoppenolle is a Belgian and French national. He holds a Master of Science, with a specialization in telecommunication, from the University of Leuven complemented with marketing studies from the University of Antwerp. He is a member of the DIGITALEUROPE Executive Board, Associate to Nokia’s CEO at the ERT (European Round Table for Industry), and advisor to FITCE Belgium (Forum for ICT & Media professionals). He has been vice-chair of the BUSINESSEUROPE Digital Economy Taskforce as well as a member of the board of IICB (Innovation & Incubation Center Brussels).

China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday said a new European Commission proposal to restrict high-risk tech vendors from critical supply chains amounted to “blatant protectionism,” warning European officials that Beijing will take “necessary measures” to protect Chinese firms. Beijing has “serious concerns” over the bill, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters, according to state news agencies’ reports. “Using non-technical standards to forcibly restrict or even prohibit companies from participating in the market, without any factual evidence, seriously violates market principles and fair competition rules,” Guo said. The European Commission on Tuesday unveiled its proposal to revamp the bloc’s Cybersecurity Act. The bill seeks to crack down on risky technology vendors in critical supply chains ranging across energy, transport, health care and other sectors. Though the legislation itself does not name any specific countries or companies, it is widely seen as being targeted at China. 5G suppliers Huawei and ZTE are in the EU’s immediate crosshairs, while other Chinese vendors are expected to be hit at a later stage. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier responded to the Chinese foreign ministry, saying Europe has allowed high-risk vendors from outside the EU in strategic sectors for “far too long.” “We are indeed radically changing this. Because we cannot be naive anymore,” Regnier said in a statement. The exclusion of high-risk suppliers will always be based on “strong risk assessments” and in coordination with EU member countries, he said. China “urges the EU to avoid going further down the wrong path of protectionism,” the Chinese foreign ministry’s Guo told reporters. He added the EU bill would “not only fail to achieve so-called security but will also incur huge costs,” saying some restrictions on using Huawei had already “caused enormous economic losses” in Europe in past years. European telecom operators warned Tuesday that the law would impose multi-billion euro costs on the industry if restrictions on using Huawei and ZTE were to become mandatory across Europe. A Huawei spokesperson said in a statement that laws to block suppliers based on their country of origin violate the EU’s “basic legal principles of fairness, non-discrimination, and proportionality,” as well as its World Trade Organization obligations. The company “reserve[s] all rights to safeguard our legitimate interests,” the spokesperson said. ZTE did not respond to requests for comment on the EU’s plans.

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.