A senior European Commission official has been forced to leave his post after an internal investigation found that he breached ethics rules by accepting free business class flights from Qatar Airways.
European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen confirmed on Thursday that the official had violated the rules governing EU civil servants.
While she did not name the individual, sources within the Commission identified him as Henrik Hololei.
Hololei was previously director-general of the Commission's transport and mobility department. His contract has now been terminated, and he is due to leave the Commission in mid-February.
The claims were based on confidential findings from a 2023 inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which was triggered by POLITICO revelations.
According to the inquiry, Hololei had travelled several times in business class with Qatar Airways, with flights and hotel stays paid for by third parties. At the time, the European Commission was negotiating an aviation agreement with Qatar.
Following the revelations, Hololei was moved to another directorate-general. Disciplinary proceedings have since concluded that he failed to comply with the ethical standards expected of Commission officials.
The affair comes against the backdrop of broader scrutiny of Qatar's links with EU institutions. The Gulf state is at the centre of a corruption investigation known as Qatargate, which concerns alleged attempts by Qatar and Morocco to influence political decision-making within the European Parliament.
Speaking to POLITICO on Thursday, the official said that he was disappointed, but he accepts the decision of the Commission."I'm happy that this long process has finally come to a conclusion," Hololei added.
The Commission has repeatedly stressed its commitment to transparency and integrity, particularly in the wake of the Qatargate scandal, which has led to multiple investigations and criminal proceedings at EU level.
