Corruption Scandal "Shakes" the European Parliament

AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS

The European Parliament is rocked by a new corruption scandal. The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office is investigating claims that Chinese tech giant "Huawei" bribed European lawmakers. This, however, is not the first corruption case within this institution.

Luxury gifts, expensive dinners and trips, invitations to football matches in exchange for promoting private commercial interests during political decision-making – these practices are being investigated by the Belgian prosecutor’s office.

"According to current rules, the threshold for gifts is 150 euros. What I find concerning is that members of the European Parliament can be invited on luxury trips. For instance, we know that Huawei invited European MPs to spend an entire week in China, with business-class flights, luxury hotels, and so on," said European Parliament member from the Greens, Daniel Freund.

The investigation covers 15 former and current MEPs, according to investigative journalists who were the first to alert the public. The prosecutor’s office has conducted several raids in Belgium and Portugal, arresting several individuals.

Reports also state that investigators removed boxes of materials from Huawei's offices in Brussels. Huawei claims to have a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.

The official response from the European Parliament came from its president in a brief statement on X. She said that she had initiated an urgent procedure to revoke the immunity of two members of the European Parliament and assured that there would be no impunity for anyone.

The European Commission’s response was even shorter. "We have absolutely no comment on this investigation," said the Commission.

The public still remembers the previous corruption scandal known as "Qatargate." In late 2022, it was revealed that some members of parliament were taking money and gifts from Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania in exchange for exerting influence in the European legislative body.

"After the Qatargate scandal, there was an opportunity to change the rules, introduce oversight of MEPs' behavior, stricter rules, and deterrent sanctions, but nothing came of it. After the previous scandal, changes and reforms were more cosmetic than substantive," said Shari Hinds from Transparency International.

The European Union has started to form an independent ethical body to oversee lobbying and transparency, explains the European MEP who was the rapporteur for the EU ethical report in a previous mandate.

"This body was supposed to start working, but it hasn’t so far because it’s being blocked by conservatives in the European Parliament. The agreement between eight EU institutions participating in this process was reached last May, ten months ago, and the first meeting has still not been held," said Freund.

Until then, each institution controls itself, or until cases reach the police and the public prosecutor’s office.

The situation with "Huawei" marks the third serious scandal shaking the European community, says Nenad Vuković, president of the Serbian Lobbyists Association. He adds that the names of European MEPs involved in the latest affair are also linked to the "Qatargate" case. Vuković stresses that there is a significant difference between lobbying and corruption and that the European community is trying to protect itself from unethical influence.

"The job of a lobbyist is not to offer something in material terms; the job of a lobbyist is to bring quality information to decision-makers on behalf of those who hired them, and to convince decision-makers that what is in the interest of their client is in the public's interest, and to do so lawfully, transparently, and based on the public interest," said Vuković.

He pointed out that the rules of lobbying have changed significantly after the war in Ukraine and the economic tensions with China. The European Union is trying to protect itself from unethical influences, but as a community of sovereign states, it has limited possibilities compared to the United States, where strict regulations like the FARA Act require registration of every contact and prescribe severe penalties.

Vuković also mentioned that in current discussions around lobbying regulation in Europe, names associated with the "Qatargate" scandal are being repeated, with individuals from Italian and Bulgarian political circles most frequently mentioned.

Lobbying in Serbia – Law and Implementation

Serbia's lobbying law was adopted in 2019 and includes clear provisions regarding the rights and obligations of lobbyists, as well as those of the officials being lobbied. According to Vuković, the law is well-written, but its full implementation is yet to come.

"Lobbying is a powerful anti-corruption tool when conducted legally and ethically. Citizens and institutions need to understand that legal advocacy for changes in regulations is much better than resorting to corruption," Vuković emphasized.

Although fines are foreseen for violations of the lobbying law in Serbia, none have been imposed so far. In cases of serious violations, such as bribery or abuse of office, the criminal code provisions are applied, Vuković added.

Who Can Be a Lobbyist?

To become a lobbyist in Serbia, one must meet several conditions: have a higher education degree, undergo training at the Anti-Corruption Agency, and not be convicted of crimes that would make them unworthy of the profession.

"Lobbying is a profession in which one continuously improves throughout their life. Serbia will soon see how many lobbyists it needs, but it is certain that this is an important mechanism for transmitting valid information to decision-makers," Vuković concluded.