In a secret-ballot vote on Tuesday, the European Parliament decided to strip the parliamentary immunity of Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello, a member of the European People’s Party (EPP). The move comes as part of an ongoing Belgian investigation into allegations of corruption and illicit lobbying by the Chinese technology firm Huawei.
Of the 603 MEPs who cast ballots, 344 voted in favour of lifting Martusciello’s immunity, 234 opposed, and 25 abstained. The decision allows Belgian prosecutors to proceed with their inquiry into whether Martusciello used his position to advance Huawei’s interests within the EU.
The Letter and the Allegations
Prosecutors suspect that Martusciello was the driving force behind a 2021 letter signed by eight MEPs that urged the European Commission not to ban foreign 5G equipment on national security grounds. Although the letter did not explicitly name Huawei, investigators believe it was an attempt to shape EU policy in favour of the Chinese company.
According to an immunity report drafted by Polish MEP Dominik Tarczyński, Martusciello also tabled amendments to a draft resolution on EU competition policy between January and March 2021 that appeared to be “formulated in the interest of Huawei.” This period overlaps with the drafting and circulation of the letter.
Belgian authorities allege that a corrupt network, led by Huawei lobbyist Valerio Ottati, paid MEPs to support the company. An official from the European Parliament told Euronews that Martusciello wrote the letter and that his office attempted to persuade other Italian MEPs to sign it.
In a previous statement, Martusciello denied any wrongdoing: “I have never received either promises or pressure to sign the letter. I may have seen Valerio Ottati in my life. He constantly invited MEPs to events, including high-level gatherings with ministers and authorities. I never attended any of them, nor did anyone from my delegation.”
Broader Investigation and Other MEPs
In March 2025, Belgian police raided Huawei’s offices in Brussels and premises within the European Parliament as part of a probe into bribery allegations. Five individuals were subsequently charged. In May, Belgian authorities requested the waiver of immunity for five MEPs, suspecting that Huawei lobbyists had secured their support through money transfers and invitations to football matches.
One of those named, Italian EPP member Giusi Princi, was quickly removed from the list because she was not yet an MEP at the time of the alleged conduct. The Parliament voted on Tuesday to maintain the immunity of the other three lawmakers: Italian EPP member Salvatore De Meo, Maltese Socialist MEP Daniel Attard, and Bulgarian Renew Europe MEP Nikola Minchev. The decision cited “a flagrant scarcity of concrete elements in the request for the waiver.”
This case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign influence in EU institutions. The European Parliament has previously tested tighter debate rules to combat empty seats, but the Huawei scandal underscores deeper vulnerabilities in lobbying oversight. Meanwhile, the EU continues to navigate complex trade relations, as seen in the recent approval of the EU-US trade deal amid renewed Trump tariff threats.
The investigation into Martusciello and the broader network is expected to continue, with Belgian prosecutors seeking to determine the full extent of Huawei’s alleged efforts to sway EU policy.
