Huawei lobbyists barred temporarily from the European Parliament

Huawei lobbyists were banned from entering the European Parliament’s premises on Friday, following allegations of bribery linked to the Chinese company's lobbying activities in the Chamber.

“The Parliament decided, as a precautionary measure, to suspend the access to Parliament of representatives attached to the Huawei company with immediate effect,” a Parliament spokesperson told Euronews.

The ban is temporary and will remain in place until the authorities conclude their investigation. It relates to Parliamentary premises in Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and across all the liaison offices in the 27 EU countries.

Allegations of corruption

The decision followed Thursday’s searches carried out by the Federal Police in the Brussels-Capital Region as well as in Flanders, Wallonia and also in Portugal.

Several individuals have been arrested for questioning in connection with their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as for forgery and use of forgeries, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office said.

According to the preliminary investigation, corrupt practices may have occurred regularly and discreetly from 2021, under the guise of commercial lobbying, and taking various forms: remuneration for the adoption of political positions, expensive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches.

Nine Huawei employees are accredited to enter Parliament's premises, according to the EU Transparency Register.