BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the European Commission鈥檚 sale of 23 of its buildings to Belgium where it has dozens of premises, the European Union鈥檚 executive branch said on Thursday.
Belgium鈥檚 sovereign wealth fund SFPIM bought the buildings for around 900 million euros ($1 billion) in 2024 to help transform the European quarter of the capital, Brussels, 鈥渋nto a modern, attractive and greener area,鈥� according to .
The commission said in a statement that 鈥渢he sale of the buildings followed established procedures and protocols, and we are confident that the process was conducted in a compliant manner.鈥� It didn’t provide details about the investigation.
The institution underlined that it 鈥渋s committed to transparency and accountability,鈥� and promised to fully cooperate with the , or EPPO, which investigates crimes against the EU鈥檚 financial interests.
The commission, which proposes EU laws and supervises the way they are applied, promised to provide 鈥渁ny information and assistance needed to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into this matter,鈥� including with Belgian authorities.
The EPPO also declined to provide details about the inquiry so as 鈥渘ot to endanger the ongoing procedures and their outcome.鈥� Spokesperson Lidija Globokar said only that prosecutors were 鈥渃onducting evidence-collecting activities in an ongoing investigation.鈥�
The Financial Times, citing 鈥渢wo people familiar with the operation,鈥� reported that Belgian police conducted searches of different commission premises on Thursday, including the EU executive branch鈥檚 budget department.
The commission, which employs more than 30,000 people, still owns around 60 buildings in Brussels.
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