Authorities said the supposed perpetrators resorted to payments, food and travel gifts, and invitations to watch soccer matches in exchange for favorable political decisions that would promote private commercial interests.

Belgian police have raided several locations in the country as part of an investigation into corruption within the European Parliament. Prosecutors said the alleged corruption was "under the guise of commercial lobbying", and that several people had been detained for questioning.

Several people were on Thursday arrested in a nationwide sweep in Belgium as part of a corruption probe in which Chinese tech giant Huawei was reported to be suspected of having bribed lawmakers in