The Gulf Emirate of Qatar is getting on nerves in Brussels. While several EU parliamentarians are already in prison on suspicion of corruption, the Commission now has to answer uncomfortable questions about free flights and paid hotel bills from a high-ranking official.
The European Ombudsman is investigating against the EU Commission because of flights and hotel accommodation donated by the Gulf Emirate of Qatar. In a letter to Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly asked for information on how the agency “handles requests for business trips from its senior staff that are paid for by third parties”. At the same time, O’Reilly is asking the Commission to change its rules and disclose travel expenses paid by third parties.
Specifically, the investigation is about travel by the head of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport – i.e. the highest official under the responsible EU Commissioner Adina Valean. According to Politico magazine, he had flown business class with Qatar Airways for free several times since 2015. Four of those flights were paid for by the Qatari government or groups close to the government. According to a spokeswoman for the EU Commission, costs for hotel accommodation were also covered. At the same time, the EU Commission negotiated a flight agreement with Qatar.
This “raises the legitimate question of possible undue influence on EU decision-making in this area,” emphasized O’Reilly. Qatar is already the focus of a bribery scandal involving the European Parliament that became public in December. The country is accused of influencing political decisions. Several MEPs are in custody on suspicion of corruption and money laundering, among other things.
As a spokesman for the EU Commission explained, the official in the present case adhered to all applicable rules. Accordingly, as head of the General Management, he is responsible for examining possible conflicts of interest in cases that affect him personally. At the same time, the authority announced that it intends to tighten the existing rules. In the future, travel expenses should only be accepted by third parties if they are from the United Nations, the G7 or G20.
In her letter, the Ombudsman also expressed her dissatisfaction with a previous statement by the EU Commission that there was no conflict of interest because the Director-General was not part of the negotiating team. “The public shouldn’t make that distinction,” O’Reilly said, asking for a response by June 3.
