At the beginning of March, Belgian authorities launched a major anti-corruption raid in Brussels, taking four people into custody. According to Wirtschaftswoche, eight individuals were charged by the public prosecutor’s office, including a senior Huawei executive. The investigation centres on allegations that up to fifteen members of the European Parliament were bribed by the Chinese tech giant.
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On 28 April, the board of SolarPower Europe decided to expel Huawei from its membership. According to the association, the move followed the European Commission’s announcement that it would limit meetings with any trade bodies that include Huawei, due to the ongoing corruption investigation.
EU distances itself
The Commission will no longer meet with lobby groups or trade associations that represent Huawei's political interests, a spokesperson told Politico. The Chinese tech giant had already been barred from entering the European Parliament and from holding one-on-one meetings with Commission officials.
Report: Cybersecurity an issue also for small rooftop solar
Huawei was previously active in several of SolarPower Europe’s working groups and served as a key member and sponsor, contributing at least €60,000 per year. According to Euractiv, the Chinese tech giant holds memberships in over 50 organisations across Europe, from think tanks to specialised trade associations, and spends more than €1 million annually on these affiliations.
Call for an EU inverter security toolbox
Power sector association Eurelectric is considering suspending Huawei at a board meeting in June, Euractiv reported. Several other organisations including the digital association Digital Europe, the business association BusinessEurope and the European Internet Forum have also already excluded Huawei. (hcn)
