Senior Commission official faces internal disciplinary probe linked to Qatar gifts

The European Commission launched an internal disciplinary probe into one of its senior officials, Henrik Hololei, over concerns he allegedly violated rules on conflicts of interest, transparency, gift acceptance and document disclosure, according to documents seen by POLITICO.

The internal probe comes five months after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into corruption allegations involving the Estonian politician Hololei. That criminal case was prompted by a report from French newspaper Libération, which revealed that Hololei — then a senior EU transport official — exchanged confidential details about a major aviation deal with Qatar in return for gifts for himself and his inner circle, including stays in a five-star hotel in Doha.

The claims were based on confidential findings from a 2023 inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office, which was triggered by POLITICO revelations and ended last year in the Commission recommending disciplinary proceedings.