The European Commission has cleared Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi of any personal involvement in an alleged spying network that targeted its staff in Brussels, closing an internal investigation without finding evidence of individual wrongdoing.
The announcement came a day before Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, is due to take office following his landslide election victory last month. The decision means Várhelyi can remain in his role as EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare.
Background of the Allegations
In October, several media outlets reported that Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels had run a network of intelligence officers posing as diplomats who targeted the Commission's Hungarian staff between 2012 and 2018. The operatives were allegedly seeking sensitive files related to Hungary and attempting to recruit Hungarian EU officials.
The Commission launched an internal investigation, which has now concluded. A spokesman said there was no evidence that any Commission staff had been successfully recruited.
“Based on the information gathered during this investigation and with the tools that we have at our disposal within the Commission, it is not possible to attribute individual responsibility or involvement beyond that of the intelligence officers themselves,” Commission spokesman Balázs Ujvári said.
Várhelyi was drawn into the probe because he served as Hungary’s ambassador to the EU between 2015 and 2019, during part of the period under investigation. He was later nominated as EU Commissioner by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Last year, Várhelyi denied any knowledge of the alleged network. He reportedly told Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that he “was not aware” of the activities.
Political Context
During his time as ambassador, relations between Budapest and Brussels deteriorated sharply amid disputes over the rule of law, democracy and media freedom in Hungary. Várhelyi is widely seen as a close ally of Orbán, whose Fidesz party lost last month’s election. He has also regularly attended events organised by the Patriots for Europe, a far-right political group.
Magyar, who himself served as a diplomat at the Hungarian Permanent Representation in Brussels between 2011 and 2015, said in October that Várhelyi "did not reveal the whole truth" about the spying allegations. The incoming prime minister has signalled a shift in Hungary’s approach to EU relations, as seen in his recent meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reported in Magyar Meets Meloni: Hungary's PM-Elect Seeks New Chapter with Rome.
The spying probe has also drawn attention to broader security concerns within EU institutions. Similar issues have arisen elsewhere, such as the UK summoning the Chinese envoy after dual nationals were convicted of spying on Hong Kong dissidents, highlighting the ongoing challenge of foreign intelligence activities in Europe.
With the investigation closed, Várhelyi remains in his post, but the episode underscores the tensions between Budapest and Brussels that are likely to persist under the new Hungarian government.
