The European Commission has dismissed senior official Henrik Hololei following the conclusion of an internal disciplinary investigation into breaches of European Union administrative rules, officials confirmed on Thursday, January 29th.
Hololei, a long-standing figure within the EU executive and former Director-General for Mobility and Transport, was found to have violated regulations relating to conflicts of interest, transparency, gift acceptance, and the handling of confidential documents.
The investigation was triggered by confidential findings from a 2023 inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which concluded that Hololei had shared sensitive information concerning a major aviation agreement with Qatar.
French newspaper Libération later alleged that this occurred in exchange for gifts.
In 2024, OLAF recommended that the Commission open formal disciplinary proceedings. Those proceedings, launched in 2025, reportedly uncovered evidence of unauthorised gift acceptance, confidentiality breaches, and conflicts of interest.
Hololei was subsequently reassigned to a lower-ranking advisory role with reduced pay.
The case has drawn criticism over the Commission’s slow response, particularly after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into potential corruption allegations in late 2024.
Hololei told Politico he was “disappointed” but accepted the decision, adding that he was relieved the lengthy process had concluded.
Commenting on the latest revelations, conservative think tank MCC Brussels posted:
The EU Commission finally fired Henrik Hololei. Only took since 2023 + an OLAF inquiry + “confidential aviation deal details” + gift allegations. Brussels efficiency.
The Qatargate scandal shook European politics in December 2022, when high-level MEPs, lobbyists, and their families were accused of accepting bribes from the Qatari and Moroccan governments in exchange for influencing parliament legislation.
Most of the suspects involved are socialist lawmakers. The highest-ranking EU official arrested was Greek MEP Eva Kaili, former vice president of the European Parliament, who faced charges of participation in a criminal organisation, corruption, and money laundering.
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