The European Commission has opened an internal investigation following reports in European media suggesting Hungarian espionage targeting EU institutions, according to Reuters. These allegations emerged after a collaborative investigation by the Hungarian NGO Direkt36 together with Belgian and German media outlets.

The reporting indicates that, a decade ago, two individuals were assigned to the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels and were subsequently convicted of espionage. At that time, the representation was led by current Hungarian European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. The alleged spies reportedly offered financial incentives in exchange for access to sensitive and confidential information from EU institutions.

Earlier in the year, the European Parliament addressed similar claims, noting that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) had been affected by Hungarian espionage. OLAF had previously launched an investigation into suspected irregularities in a project linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

A European Commission spokesperson stated that the Commission is taking these reports very seriously. “The Commission takes note of all recent reports that a Hungarian intelligence service has been carrying out espionage operations against the EU and its officials,” the spokesperson said.

The Commission emphasized that EU Commissioners must adhere to strict rules of conduct outlined in the EU treaties. These rules require Commissioners to maintain absolute independence, avoid taking instructions from any government, institution, or external body, and refrain from any actions incompatible with their official duties or the performance of their tasks.