DG Trade Director Fritz-Harald Wenig

As director of trade defence within the Commission’s DG Trade, Fritz-Harald Wenig had access to commercially valuable information on changes in the tariff regime for imports. Invited to dinner by journalists from the Sunday Times, posing as lobbyists, Wenig reportedly agreed to make confidential information available to the lobbyists – who offered to pay for the information they received.

The journalists claimed they were working for a Chinese businessman who wanted information about changes to the tariff regime on imported shoes and candles. Both areas were being reviewed by DG Trade at the time. The “businessman” needed to know which manufacturers would be exempt from tariffs. Over a series of dinners in some of Brussels’ top restaurants and follow-up calls between March and September 2008, Wenig was recorded providing the names of two candle manufacturers, promising to provide future information about aluminium foil manufacturers, and giving the reporters advance information about the extension of Chinese footwear tariffs.

No payment was agreed for the information. But when the “lobbyists” offered Wenig a well paid job and then a payment of € 100.000, Wenig is reported to have suggested putting the money in a frozen bank account which he would be able to access after he retired.

The reported disclosure, which would have provided a genuine lobbyist with valuable commercial information, is in clear conflict with the Commission’s staff regulations which state that employees must: “refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of information received in the line of duty”.

Wenig says he has received no money and only provided information that would have been in the public domain within weeks. Fritz-Harald Wenig appears to reveal corruption in the heart of the Commission. His case is now being investigated by the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF).

If you think such behaviour is unacceptable in a public official, vote for Fritz-Harald Wenig for the Worst Conflict of Interest Award.

Additional information :

“Revealed: how Eurocrat leaked trade secrets over lavish dinners – A top EU official passed on sensitive information potentially worth millions to a company, Insight reports”, Sunday Times Insight, Jonathan Calvert, Claire Newell and Nicola Smith, 7 September 2008.

Commission to probe trade leak, EurActiv.com, 9 September 2008.

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