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	Podcast:		Talking Europe
	Episode:		After 'Qatargate', 'Huaweigate' scandal rocks EU: What happened to anti-corruption reforms?
	Category:		News & Politics
	Duration:		00:12:35
	Publish Date:		2025-04-04 15:18:55
	Description:		It was not supposed to happen again. Two years ago, after the cash-for-favours scandal known as "Qatargate" rocked the European Parliament and sent shockwaves through the EU, reforms were introduced to improve transparency. But now, fresh allegations of bribery have hit the EU's legislature – purportedly to the benefit of China's tech giant Huawei, according to the Belgian prosecutor's office. Huawei is one of many companies that try to shape conversations in Brussels, and firms do report their activities on the EU's transparency register. But Huawei has been in the spotlight because it builds 5G networks, and Western countries are worried about possible collusion between Huawei and the Chinese Communist Party – a notion the tech firm rejects. Our panel of MEPs reflect on what the scandal says about lobbying and access to politicians, and why transparency reforms have foundered. Programme prepared by Isabelle Romero, Perrine Desplats, Luke Brown and Oihana Almandoz
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